New Day
by Cheese Wizzard
Summary: The exorcists are almost getting tired of this. Being reborn, alone, only to fight, alone, to their deaths to be reborn again, alone. But this time, things are different. Now, all of the exorcists are together again, previously unaware of each other. However, with the Noah threat rising again and the Order just as insane, it's going to take everything they've got to win this time.
1. Chapter 1

**yes! New story! That I might actually commit to!  
Maybe!  
Well, I'll try.**

* * *

 **Summary**

The exorcists are almost getting tired of this. Being reborn, alone, only to fight, alone, to their deaths to be reborn again, alone. But this time, things are different. Now, all of the exorcists are around at the same time. As they struggle to reconnect with their friends and comrades, a just as brutal Black Order breathes down their necks . Unfortunately the Noah are in the same situation, meaning just as hard a fight, but maybe this time they'll finally be victorious.

* * *

Kanda scowls as a strong discomfort shudders through him. Great. This again. Kanda tries not to scowl as a sharp breeze causes him to shiver.  
"Can I see him?" A woman's voice speaks, she sounds so far away.

" _Wait, is that Japanese?"_  
"Here."

Kanda shuffles uncomfortably, hating how small he feels.

"He's a strong one." Someone laughs and Kanda tries to look angry as he forces his eyes open.  
"He's awake!" An overexcited voice greets Kanda. Looking up, Kanda sees a grinning woman with dark hair and pale skin. Violet eyes shine down at him and Kanda instinctively looks away.  
"Hello there, Akai."

Kanda tries not to roll his eyes. Red. That wasn't his name. That the moyashi's.

"We're gonna be a perfect family."  
Kanda looks to scowl at the man, who's surprisingly young, like the woman, and has slightly darker skin and brown hair. "You'll love it here, son."

—

 **HALF A YEAR LATER.**

Lavi was disorientated at first, before recognising what was happening. He was being born. Again. Great. Lavi tried not to roll his eyes. He was really getting sick of this.

" _Why can't I just die?"  
_ "Deborah, he's gorgeous." A soft voice speaks as Lavi leaves his eyes closed. Maybe he could get some sleep…

"Ma'am? What's his name?" A voice speaks, probably the doctor, as Lavi gets shuffled around.

"Jonathan."  
Lavi feels a relaxing warmth against him, probably his mother.  
"What do you think, Felix?"  
"He's perfect."

—

 **A YEAR AND A HALF LATER.**

Lenalee feels an overwhelming sadness as she feels herself coming to life. She doesn't want this anymore. Why did she have to? Lenalee hates the pain and the suffering. She hates the loneliness. Any family she's had always lost her or she lost them.  
" _It isn't fair."_

"Mei?" A kind voice speaks in Korean. "Hello, little one."

Lenalee feels her throat swell as tears threaten to fall. She was too kind, she would only be hurt!  
"Shh…" A large hand pats her back. "Don't cry. Everything will be alright. Shh…"  
Lenalee wishes she could believe her new mother, but the peace never lasted.

Lenalee feels a comforting warmth as new tears silently stream down her face.

" _Maybe, just this once, I_ _'_ _ll believe her._ _"_

—

 **TWO YEARS LATER.**

Allen feels a familiar warmth envelope him, followed by a piercing cold. Cool hands pick him up as a dull pain fades away.

" _Again."_ Allen tries force his eyes open and after a few seconds he can see the white hospital room around him.

"Ray." A soothing voice speaks as new hands reach out to take him. "Michael! Look."

A middle-aged man comes into view, light stubble across his chin. Dark brown hair lies neatly over startling green eyes.  
"Hm?" Michael looks closer at Allen, eyes furrowing with worry. "Doctor?"  
"It doesn't seem to be causing any problems." A stale voice speaks as a blue clothed man comes into view, face obscured by a pale mask. "We'll have to check in soon, though."  
"Chelsea?" Michael turns to look behind Allen.  
"…Alright." The woman sighs as Allen is turned to face her. Her bright red hair is tied back messily, her face is drenched in sweat and large bags sit under her eyes. "Be safe Ray."

—

 **SEVEN YEARS LATER.**

 **ALLEN 7**

 **LAVI 11**

 **LENALEE 9**

 **KANDA 12**

"Ray!" A voice calls to the seven year old as he writhes in his bed. "We're going to be late! Hurry up!"  
"I'm coming!" Allen shouts as his body falls out of bed. "Don't leave without me!"

Allen's door slams open as his older brother by two years, Ben, steps inside.

Allen's room is littered with books, video games and various knick knacks he'd collected over the years. Surprisingly, no trash lies around and all Allen's clothes are neatly put away.  
"Come on!" Ben demands.  
"I'm up!" Allen protests, throwing his blankets onto his bed as he stumbles over to his closet.  
"Mom's already made breakfast." Ben teases. "If you don't hurry, I'll eat your share!"

"Ben! Don't!" Allen cries, pants half on as his brother sprints out of the room, yelling down to their mother.

Allen glares at his uniform as he slips on his jacket. The clothes are shades of grey, will only a little gold around the school emblem. The emblem is a decorated cross, almost exactly the same as every other school. Allen silently misses his red and black exorcist uniform, but the design had been scrapped over a century ago.

Allen sighs as he throws his bag over his shoulder and heads out of his room. He can hear Ben cackling from the downstairs.

"Ray!" Allen smiles as hie mother calls as he enters the kitchen.  
"Morning." Allen grins at her.  
"You're ten minutes late." She points out. "Which means one less piece of bacon."  
"Yes!" Ben exclaims, reaching for Allen's plate.  
"One piece which will be going to your father if he comes down." Chelsea looks up to the ceiling. "Michael! Get down here!"  
"I think I know where your slowness came from." Ben grins at Allen.  
"Shuddup." Allen mutters, stabbing a fork into his breakfast.  
"Don't swear." Chelsea offhandedly reprimands as she heads to the stairs. "And be done by the time I'm back."  
"What about Dad's?" Ben calls after her.  
"Take it!" Their mother calls back. "He took even longer than you!"

—

"Jon!" A little girl slams into Lavi's leg, just as he reaches the door.  
"Vicky." Lavi crouches down. "I gotta go to school."  
"No!" Mia shakes her head. "You can stay home like me!"  
"I can't." Lavi points out. "You're only four so you can get away with that stuff. But I can't."  
"Why not!?" Mia exclaims. "It's not fair!"  
"I know." Lavi pats his step-sister on the head. "I'll be back in a few hours."

—

"This school's great!" Ben grins. "You don't have to worry!"  
"But I don't know anyone." Allen pouts. "'cept you."  
"Maybe if you join a club you can find some more nerd friends." Ben says.  
"Nerd friends?" Allen repeats, glaring at his brother.  
"Well, there are some for all grades." Ben adds. "There must be a nerd somewhere…"  
"Ben!" Allen slaps his brother's arm. "That's mean!"  
"Heh." Ben grins. "Sorry, Ray."

—

"Jon!" Damion waves to his friend as Jon approaches the school gates.

"Damion." Jon smiles and waves back as he comes closer.

—

" _This_ is it?" Allen stares up at the grey building. "Looks boring."  
"It's better on the inside." Ben reassures. "Come on! I'll show you around!"

—

"Hey! I found the room roster!" Rich holds a sheet of paper in Lavi's face.  
"And?" Lavi pushes it away, closing his book.  
"Strategy's in my home room, 222." Rich grins.  
"They moved us?" Damion snatches the paper away. "But we're always in the skinny rooms."  
"Someone must've done something." Lavi shrugs. "Don't complain about a good thing."

—

A shrill bell echoes through the building, causing the two brothers to stop.

"What was that?" Allen wonders.  
"We got to go to assembly." Ben explains. "You'll get your classes and things there."

—

"I hope we're together again, Jon." Damion grins.  
"Me too." Rich adds. "I'd hate to be split up."  
"I'm sure it'll be fine." Lavi reassures. "Just hope for the best."

—

 **FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.**

Allen has to resist the urge to groan as a long line of boring looking teachers stand on the stage, prepared to talk. The principal was currently talking about who-knows-what and Ben was on the other side of the hall. Allen feels small. Towering student crowd around, from primary to high-school, almost suffocating him. He's almost glad Lavi or Kanda aren't here to make a joke.

—

 **ONE AND A HALF HOURS LATER.**

"Welcome to the new year." A middle aged, well dressed woman stands in the doorway, blocking the small group of students from entering the classroom. "Firstly, I won't tolerate any rule-breaking in my classroom."  
A small chorus of mutters of either agreement or distaste rush through the students.  
"You're to never speak out of turn or interrupt me." The woman looks down at the students. "Am I understood?"  
Another wave of murmurs sound in reply as students shift under her gaze.

"Good." She nods. "Come inside."

—

The classroom is just about as exciting as the rest of the school. Grey walls, floors and furniture fill the dull space.  
Slightly paler tables stand one by one in an orderly fashion, paired with black chairs.

A whiteboard stands across one wall, behind a teacher's desk.  
Small pieces of paper sit on every desk, where a single name is written.  
Allen scowls at the papers. Alphabetical. Allen almost misses 'Walker' since it'd sit him at the back and out of the way.

Allen shuffles over to his desk, almost directly in the middle of the room, with the label 'Martin, Ray'.

—

"My name is Miss Carter." The old woman introduces, writing the name in the white board's left corner. "You will call me Miss Carter."  
Miss Carter stares down at the assembled seven year olds who stare back at her.  
"While initially I will accept _some_ misconduct, I will correct any behaviour throughout this year."

Allen scowls as the woman goes on, every time things got worse. Children are expected to act like adults while most adults try to fight an unkillable enemies a world away.

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

Lavi sighs as his teacher pulls out a large maths book.  
"Be sure to take all this down." The large man instructs as he turns to the board behind him.  
Damion groans quietly, but loud enough for Lavi to hear. A small laugh sounds from in front of Lavi, where Rich is sitting. Rich glances back at Lavi and Damion, a smirk on his face.

"Shut it." Damion mutters, angrily pulling out his notebook. "Damn maths."

—

Allen watches the teacher explain the coming year carefully. She stands unnaturally straight and small, faded scars are visible across his legs, arms and hands. She seems confident that they wont go unnoticed, seem by her slightly revealing clothes. But Allen can't help but notice the awkwardly thick scarf around her neck, completely covering the nearby skin.  
Allen doesn't want to think about what Miss Carter's hiding.

—

 **ONE AND A HALF HOURS LATER.**

"Ray!" Ben hurtles down the hallway, a large grin on his face.

"Ben." Allen grins up at his brother.

"How's everything so far?" Ben asks, stopping in front Allen.  
"Boring." Allen admits. "We've haven't done _anything_."  
"It'll get interesting soon." Ben smiles. "Before getting even more boring, little bro."  
"Great." Allen sighs.  
"C'mon." Ben grabs Allen's hand.  
"But I need to eat!" Allen protests as Ben starts pulling him down the hall.  
"You can eat there." Ben consoles.  
"Where is 'there'?" Allen wonders, looking up at Ben skeptically.

"It's a club I go to." Ben explains. "You'll love it, trust me."  
"What's it called?" Allen asks.  
"Heh." Ben grins excitedly at Allen. "Strategy club."

—

"It's over!" Damion stretches his arms dramatically. "Any more and I'd been a goner!"  
"It wasn't that bad." Lavi assures him.  
"You'll have to learn to deal with math class soon, Damion." Rich adds.  
"Whatever." Damion shrugs. "Club first, class later."

—

"In here?" Allen looks curiously at the door, marked with the number '222'.  
"Yup." Ben nods.  
"What do you even do?" Allen wonders.  
"It's called strategy, but…" Ben looks thoughtful. "We usually just play boardgames."

—

"This room is way better than last year's!" Damion waves his arms around. "Plenty of space!"  
"Can you not?" Rich says, dropping a game on a desk. "Help out."  
"Sure, sure." Damion turns back to his bad of games.  
"I wonder if we'll get any new kids." Lavi wonders, pushing the tables together.  
"Please, no tiny children." Damion groans.  
"Didn't one try to eat the pieces last year?" Rich wonders.  
"Something like that." Lavi nods.  
Damion groans louder, slumping down onto the tables.

—

Ben knocks loudly on the door twice and waits for an answer.  
"Is anyone in there?" Allen asks after a few seconds of silence.  
"There should be." Ben knocks again, this time more rapidly.

After a few more seconds, Allen moves to knock. As his hand reaches to the door, it swings open.  
"I got it!"  
An older boy stands in front of them, red hair and bright green eyes glaring down on the two.  
Allen's eyes widen in shock at the familiar face, paralysed in his place.

"Hi, Jon!" Ben greets happily.  
"Uh, Ben." 'Jon' nods, eyes focused on Allen. "Who's this?"  
"This is my little brother." Ben answers proudly. "Ray."

Allen stares at 'Jon' as the other seemingly registers him too.  
"Hey." 'Jon' suddenly breaks into a wide grin, eyes growing damp as he sees Allen's face. "'Ray', right?"  
"You're…'Jon'." Allen replies, a warmth bursting through his chest as tear threaten to fall.  
"Ray, you okay?" Ben asks, noticing Allen's watering eyes.  
"Fine." Allen smiles brightly, not even glancing at his brother.  
"How about you come inside?" 'Jon' smirks stepping aside. "Welcome, 'Ray'."

—

"Oh, sh-damn." Lavi swears comically. "I forgot something in my bag."  
"What?" Rich asks.  
"My, uh…" Lavi grins sheepishly. "Right, I forgot the snacks I brought."  
"Then go get them." Damion glares at Lavi before muttering. "Trust you to forget."  
"Sorry." Lavi grins before looking over at 'Ray'. "Wanna come?"  
'Ray' starts at Lavi's words, face paling before a small grin appears across his lips. "Sure."

—

 **TWO MINUTES LATER.**

"…Allen?" 'Jon' looks cautiously down at the boy, breaking the tense silence.  
Allen looks up with relief at the familiar name. "…Lavi, right?"  
"Oh, thank god." Lavi exclaims, stopping in his tracks to lean on a nearby wall. "I was worried for a second."  
"Me too." Allen grins, moving in front of Lavi.

"You-" Lavi smiles at Allen. "You've gotten shorter."  
"And you're more obnoxious." Allen bites back.  
"Little kids shouldn't know such big words." Lavi tuts.  
"I am not a little kid." Allen glares.  
"Heh." Lavi grins. "We've got a lot to talk about, Al."  
"I don't think the corridor is the best place." Allen points out. "Anyway, weren't we getting snacks?"

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"You're terrible." Allen says as the two sprint back to the club room.

"Hey!" Lavi cries indignantly. "I am _not_."  
"This was a terrible idea." Allen adds. "It's been over ten minutes."  
"This was the only option." Lavi says. "It's not my fault the canteen is always so full!"  
"It's lunch time!" Allen cries. "What did you expect!?"  
"Sorry!" Lavi calls, skidding to a stop outside the room.  
Allen pushes the older in the moment to door opens. "Just go."

 **if u liked, say something! fav, follow whatever. Make me write more! And give me any constructive criticism. And id there's any spelling or grammar errors, just tell me!  
Thanks!  
\- Cheese Wizzard**


	2. Chapter 2

**ALLEN 7**

 **LAVI 11**

 **LENALEE 9**

 **KANDA 12**

* * *

Kanda glares up at his parents. They both stare back at him with a mix of disappointment and worry.

"Akai?" Kanda's mother kneels down in front of him.  
"Go away." Kanda bites out.  
"Come now…" His mother looks close to tears. "Let us help."  
"No." Kanda turns away.  
"You'll need those bandaged." Kanda's mother points to the large gash on his left leg and arm.

"I'll do it myself." Kanda says, stepping away from her.

"Noriko." Kanda's father puts a hand on his wife's shoulder.  
"Please, let me help you!" Noriko cries out, reaching for Kanda. "I just want-"

"Just leave me alone!" Kanda shouts, storming off. He's sick of these fake families. It would be better if they hated each other, especially when he'd be taken away.

—

Lenalee wanders the streets, a bag of groceries in one hand and a wallet in the other. A yellow sundress sits under a black cardigan she'd borrowed from her mother. The sky's darkening as the sun stains the clouds violet. She should be getting home.

Lenalee's family had moved to London soon after she'd been born. She still remembers it, even through she really shouldn't. Her parents had been so excited, telling her all about the things they'd do here.

The church is far stronger here, though. Lenalee had been worried that she'd be found out faster. But everything was going as normal so far. She'd probably be found around her tenth birthday, like usual.

Lenalee absentmindedly starts humming a familiar tune. She'd memorised it from Allen, who'd always be singing.  
God, she missed him and everyone else. She wasn't even sure they were in the same situation. Maybe they'd all passed away peacefully while she was trapped in this world. Perhaps it's better to think like that, no one deserves…what ever this is.

Lenalee doesn't notice the large man following her down the dark streets. Nor does she notice an angry looking teen sitting across the street, bandaging a bleeding arm.

That's why she starts in shock once another man steps in front of her.  
"Hey there, girlie." The man is tall and has a pig-like face. His clothes are decent but dirty. A large knife sits in his right hand, glinting menacingly in the pale light.

"Oh." Lenalee takes a step back, only to feel a large hand on her shoulder.  
"Where are you going?"  
Lenalee spins around to look at the large man behind her, his pale skin covered in tattoos, even across his face.

"Please, I don't want trouble." Lenalee says, knowing full well she had a decent chance against these two.  
"Oh, don't be like that." The large man grins, pulling out his own knife. "Hand over that." He points to the wallet in Lenalee's hand.  
"B-But." Lenalee stutters, cursing her young nerves. "I need this."  
"Hand it over." The tall man behind Lenalee demands, grabbing her arm.  
"Hey!" Lenalee cries, pulling away with surprising force.  
"You've got quite a bite." The large man says. "But I wouldn't push it."  
"Yeah! Hand it over and we won't hurt you…" The tall man grins. "much."

"Go away!" Lenalee yells, hoping for someone to help. She didn't want to attract to much attention to herself yet.  
"Hey!" A voice calls from across the street as a dark haired teen stalks over. "What are you doing?"  
"Another brat." The tall man scowls. "I got him."  
"Good." The large man turns to Lenalee. "Come now."

"Argh!" The tall man hits the ground hard, collapsing into a heap.  
"What!?" The large man turns to see the young teen, who had just thrown the thug, retrieve his knife.  
"Get out of here." The teen orders. "Or else."

—

Kanda was sick of this. He isn't even sure why he's helping this weak girl. But she wasn't weak. He'd seen her pull away from the tall thug with ease, something a normal kid shouldn't be able to do.

"What do you think you're doing, brat!" The large thug cries, grabbing the girl again. "Drop that and leave, now!"  
"Or what!?" Kanda demands, not wavering his glare.  
"Go." The man puts his own knife against the girl's throat. Speaking of, she doesn't look to bother by the situation.  
"I don't think so." Kanda replies. "I'm in a bad mood and I need to take it out on someone."

"Get out of here kid if you know what's good for you!" The thug yells, sweat dripping down his face.  
The girl squirms uncomfortably, trying to leave the man's sweaty grip.  
"Hey! Stop moving!" The thug turns back to the girl, who glares back at him.

"Che." Kanda moves forward, slashing at the man's arm with the knife before pushing him back.

Surprisingly, the girl follow suit, slinging the man around her and throwing him a few meters away. The thug lands in a heap, howling at his bleeding arm.  
"How about you get out of here." Kanda says, dropping the stolen knife. "If you know what's good for you."

—

Lenalee stares up at the young teen as the thug runs off, not caring for his unconscious friend.  
"Thanks." Lenalee says as the teen looks over to her.  
"No problem."

Lenalee stares into the boy's eyes. They're blue, like his hair. She'd thought that it was black at first, but it was just a very dark blue.  
"Is that natural?" Lenalee wonders, pointing to the long braid.  
"What?" The teen looks taken aback. "Of course."  
"I didn't think blue was a natural colour." Lenalee explains.  
"Says the kid with green hair." The boy looks away. "And purple eyes."

—

Kanda watches the girl carefully as she does the same. She seems unnaturally curious. Most people run away after he helps.  
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Kanda bites, causing the girl to smile happily.  
"I do, thank you." The girl turns away, grin widening. "But you should come too."  
"What?" Kanda stares as the girl reaches a hand out to him.  
"After all, we're family, aren't we?"  
"What are you talking about?" Kanda growls. "I just met you."  
"Kanda."

—

Lenalee stares up at the boy, hoping for a response.  
"W-What did you call me?" He looks at her with wide eyes.  
"Kanda." Lenalee repeats, resolve growing stronger. "It is you, isn't it?"  
"…Lenalee Lee." Kanda finally says.  
"Kanda!" Lenalee feels her eyes being to water as she grabs Kanda in a tight hug.  
"Hey!" Kanda protests. "What are you-"  
"I-I thought…" Lenalee feels her throat swell up, causing her to hiccup as tears start to stream down her face. "That I was all alone…"  
"Well, you're not." Kanda says. "And I'm not going anywhere."  
"Mmm." Lenalee hums, hugging Kanda tighter.  
" _Which_ is why you should let go about now!" Kanda pushes her off and she obliges, taking a step back.  
"Kanda." She says, smile not wavering. "Let's go home."

—

 **FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.**

"Mom!" Lenalee calls into her house, slipping off her shoes and keeping one hand firmly on Kanda's wrist.  
"Mei!" A woman calls back. "I'm in the kitchen!"  
"Okay!" Lenalee calls.

"Why am I here?" Kanda asks, watching Lenalee lock the door behind them.  
"You're hurt." Lenalee answers. "And we need to talk."  
"Now?" Kanda says.  
"Yes." Lenalee nods as he moves through the brightly lit hallway. "Meet my parent first, though."

—

Nari watches her Mei enter the kitchen with an angry boy in tow. He couldn't be older than twelve.  
"Mei?" Nari looks to her daughter. "Who's this?"  
"Akai." The boy answers immediately.  
"Yeah!" Mei smiles widely. "he helped me!"  
"Oh?" Nari moves closer. "With what?"  
"Some bad guys!" Mei explains. "They wanted this!" She holds out her flower print wallet.

"Oh dear." Nari says worriedly. "Are you alright?"  
"Yup!" Mei grins happily. "Akai helped!"

"Thank you, Akai." Nari looks to boy, who seems uncomfortable.  
"No problem." Akai mutters.

Nari notices that the two are holding hands, like they're friends already, and smiles.  
"Well, Akai, would you like to stay for dinner? That is, if your parent don't mind."  
"They won't." Akai shrugs.  
"Great." Nari grins, clapping her hands together. "Then, Mei? Go tell your father."

—

Seok stares as his daughter bares into his study with a bloodstained and grump boy.  
"Mei?"  
"Dad!" Mei cries happily. "This is Akai! Mom says he's staying for dinner."  
"Is he?" Seok looks curiously at the boy.  
"Yup." Mei nods, looking over at Akai. "Right?"  
"…Yeah." Akai nods, giving Mei a small smile.  
"How'd you two meet?" Seok smiles, leaning back.  
"It's a long story." Mei grins.  
"Dinner's in twenty minutes." Seok says. "Is that long enough?"  
"Maybe." Mei smiles brightly. "It all started on my way home…"

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

"Mei, go see your friend to the door." Nari smiles kindly at Akai. "We'd love to have you again."  
"Thank you." Akai nods as Mei drags him to the door.

—

As Lenalee moves to unlock the door, Kanda speaks.  
"Why?"  
"Huh?" Lenalee looks over at him, confused.

"Why do you act like a child?" Kanda asks, glancing back at the kitchen. "Around them."  
"Because I am." Lenalee answers. "I'm only nine you know."  
"But you're not." Kanda points out. "Look, I don't know how long you've-"

"Nine." Lenalee answers.

"That's not-"

"Nine times." Lenalee finishes. "This is my ninth, note counting when we all-" Lenalee chokes up and she turns away from Kanda.

"…Me too." Kanda finally says. "This is my ninth time too."  
"…We're about the same." Lenalee adds. "The same ages as the first time."  
"I suppose." Kanda shrugs, moving closer to the girl.  
"I…I just want to make this…" Lenalee gestures to the house. "Last as long as it can."  
"You're just prolonging the inevitable." Kanda points out. "It's pointless."  
"Maybe for you!" Lenalee cries. "I just want to have a family, even if it's just a few years."  
"They'll cry." Kanda says. "When you leave, when you fight, and when you die. They'll hurt."  
"…I know." Lenalee sobs. "I…I just want to be happy."

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

Kanda stares up at his house and at the unlocked door. They always leave it unlocked for him.

He stalks inside, locking the door behind him. He doesn't bother with the lights, instead moving straight into the living room. They'd be waiting for him.

—

Noriko hears the door open and close, and then the lock click.  
"That's him." Itsuki says, looking at his wife.  
"…What are we doing wrong?" Noriko mumbles. "I don't understand."

"Mom? Dad?"  
The two look up in shock as Akai stand in the doorway.  
"Akai." Itsuki sighs.

"…Sorry I'm late." Akai mutters.  
"Oh, dear." Noriko stands. "Are you hungry?"  
"I already ate." Akai says. "At a friend's."  
"A friend?" Itsuki wonders. "Who?"  
"Someone." Akai bites out before reeling back. "I-I mean-"

"It's fine." Rite smiles. "You don't have to say."  
"…Her name's Mei." Akai mumbles, just loud enough for his parents to hear.  
"Mei?" Itsuki echoes.  
"She's nine." Akai shrugs. "Met her a while ago."

"I'm glad." Noriko sits back in an armchair while Akai looks at her oddly. "I'm glad you've made a friend. I was worried."  
"Akai." Itsuki crouches in front of his son. "Thank you."  
"For what?" Akai asks.

"I'm not sure yet." Itsuki admits. "But, thank you."

—

 **YESH**

 **Okay, I'm pretty happy with this story and sorry for how short this one is. It was a little rushed, but the story will dart progressing more soon. I hope so anyway.**

 **Thanks for reading!**  
 **\- Cheese Wizzard**


	3. Chapter 3

**ALLEN 9**

 **LAVI 13**

 **LENALEE 11**

 **KANDA 14**

Lavi and Allen sit comfortably on the former's bed, eating snacks and chatting about the new school year.

"You sure you can handle being by yourself?" Lavi grins down at his friend.  
"I'm sure." Allen grins. "Will _you_ be able to handle being in a _whole other building_?"  
"Who knows." Lavi sighs as he falls back onto his bed. "I don't usually stay in school thing long."  
Allen tries not to wince and a dead silence falls over the two.

Allen just sucks in his juice box, aware of the drained contents.

"Do you think we'll meet the others this year?" Lavi wonders. "I mean, it can't just be us."  
"It might." Allen adds. "…But I hope we find them."  
"They might be on the other side of the world." Lavi sighs.  
"Or they might be on the other side of the city." Allen says, grinning.  
"Yeah." Lavi nods, sitting up. "I always did end up here somehow."  
"It's weird." Allen shrugs. "London is just a hive for this kind of stuff."  
"I guess." Lavi grins. "But it's home."

—

 **THE NEXT DAY.**

"Ray!" Ben slams Allen's door open, startling the occupant out of bed.  
"What!?" Allen calls, scowling at his brother.  
"You gotta get out of bed." Ben crosses his arms. "Mom's already made breakfast."  
"Really?" Allen glances to the clock on his wall.  
"Come on." Ben heads back to the door where he pauses to look back with a smirk. "Or I'll eat your share."

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

"We're not late!" Allen smiles widely as he and Ben jog through the school gates.  
"By just a minute." Ben huffs, hands on his knees. "I'm pooped."  
"C'mon!" Allen keeps walking, almost skipping towards the building. "I don't want to be late!"

—

 **TWO HOURS LATER.**

Unsurprisingly, school is just as boring as it was last year. Unfortunately, Lavi now has a different lunch schedule, meaning no more lunch time club. That also meant Allen would be friendless out of class. Ben had his own friends, but Allen had never gotten around to befriending his year group, he'd been to busy catching up with Lavi.

—

Allen sighs with relief as the shrill bell rings and echoes through the classroom.

As students pack their things and go to lunch, Allen glances out the window, wondering what he should do.

—

Fortunately, or unfortunately, Allen is halfway to his locker when another bell rings, louder and deeper than the first.

Students look around curiously as the bell fades and a voice speaks over the intercom.

"Students!" It's the principal, who sounds worryingly anxious. "Please immediately head to your previous classes! Do not retrieve your bags or other personal items! Immediately head to your classrooms and listen to your teachers!"  
The message ends with a click and the school sits in a confused silence.  
"Alright, you heard that, didn't you?" A large gym teacher starts shouting over the sea of students. "Head back to class!"

—

 **A FEW MINUTES LATER.**

All the students stand awkwardly in the classroom, waiting for their teacher.  
Allen feels an odd sense of foreboding in his gut as the minutes tick by.

Something isn't right.

—

Lavi watches his teacher call out names from a roll, ticking them off as he goes.  
"Jonathan Myers?"

"Here!" Lavi waves to his teacher, who scribbles on his sheet.  
"Rich Nathaniel?"  
"I'm here."  
Lavi glances over to his friend who just gives him a confused look.

Lavi wonders how Allen's doing.  
Lavi tries not to think of the bad feeling in his stomach.

Lavi tries not to remember what usually comes next.

—

Allen narrows his eyes at the classroom door.

Loud footsteps, most likely from nearby classes, trod past with hushed whispers.  
"They're going…" A petit girl with red hair whimpers.  
"What do we do?" A nervous looking brunette boy wonders.  
"Should we look for our teacher?" A taller girl says.  
"Shouldn't we just wait here?" Another girl whispers.  
"We can't." A tan boy shakes his head. "Everyone else is leaving."

"B-But-" The red-head girl says again. "The principal-"

"That doesn't matter!" The tan boy exclaims, silencing the girl. "I'm not waiting around."

He storms towards the door, reaching towards it.

As he does so, Allen feels violently sick. He doubles over his desk, drawing the attention of the red haired girl.  
"R-Ray? Are you okay?"

"…Fine." Allen shakes his head, trying to rid himself of the feeling.  
"Are you sure?" She looks at him worriedly.  
"I'm sure." Allen nods. "Thanks, Felicia."

"It's locked!" The tan boy shouts, banging on the door.  
"Relax!" The tall girl cries. "For goodness sake, Gabe, stop!"

"Oh, shut it!" Gabe glares at her.

"This is bad." Felicia grab's Allen's arm instinctively. "I don't like it."  
"It'll be fine." Allen reassures her, patting her hands.

"…Right." Felicia nods as she takes some deep breaths.

—

Lavi looks around worriedly as more classes pour into the playground. They're from Allen's year, so he has to be here soon…

—

"Zoe!" Felicia calls out to the tall girl.  
"What?" Zoe asks.  
"Something's wrong with Ray!" Felicia cries, trying to support Allen.  
"Ray?" Zoe heads over as the class continues to panic.  
"'M fine." Allen mumbles, trying to calm his pounding head.  
"You're not." Zoe says. "You need to see the nurse."  
"Can't really." Allen points out. "We're stuck."

"Well, at least sit down." Zoe pulls a chair forward, setting Allen on it.  
"…Something's coming." Allen mutters, looking up at Zoe with hazy eyes.  
"What do you mean?" Zoe asks, trying to keep her voice steady.  
"They're evacuating everyone." Allen explains. "The entire school."  
"How do you know that?" Felicia wonders.  
"Window." Allen points to the windows on the far wall. "You can see everyone down there."

—

Lavi stares up at Allen's classroom. He'd memorised it from this morning's assembly. He could see faint shadows moving inside.

All the other classes and years are out here, meaning Allen's class is the last one left.

This can't be good.

—

"I can see everyone!" Zoe calls to the class. "They're here!" She points out the window as she tries to force it open.  
"They're locked!" A boy cries sadly. "We're trapped!"  
"They're always locked." Zoe points out. "But there must be a way to open them…"  
"Maybe there's a key in the desk." Felicia wonders, looking over to the brown piece of furniture.

"Why are you opening windows?" Gabe demands. "We're on the fourth floor, it's not like we can get out."  
"But we could get someone to see us." Zoe says. "Then someone can unlock the door from the outside."

"…Whatever." Gabe pouts, looking away from her.  
"Try and open them with force, muscle man." Zoe turns away from him. "In case we can't find the keys."

—

"Mr Mackrell!" Lavi calls to his teacher.  
"What is it, Mr Myers?" Mr Mackrell looks at Lavi curiously.  
"There's still people in that classroom!" Lavi points to Allen's room, where figures are now visible at the windows.  
"Which class is that?" Mr Mackrell wonders, moving to grab something from his bag.  
"It's Miss Preston's fifth year science class." Lavi immediately says. "There's twenty-two students in there."  
"…I see." Mr Mackrell shakes his head at Lavi's words. "I'll inform the principal."

Lavi watches his teacher head into the crowd of teachers and students.

" _Please let him be okay."_

—

"I think they've noticed us!" A boy exclaims, 'Chad'; if Allen remembers correctly.

"Good." Zoe smiles at Felicia.  
"Does that mean they'll let us out?" Felicia wonders.  
"It should." Zoe nods. "We're safe."  
"Not quite." Allen didn't mean to say it out loud, really.  
"What do you mean?" Felicia asks, tensing up.  
"Ray?" Zoe watches the boy carefully.  
"There's still the thing that's making us evacuate." Allen explains.  
Zoe stays silent, instead taking Felicia's hand.

Allen watches Felicia get dragged away as he curses himself for saying anything. But, it was better than lying…

—

"Jon, you okay?" Damion prods his friend experimentally.  
"Allen…" Lavi mutters, unaware of Damion.  
"Allen? Who's that?" Damion wonders, stepping in front of Lavi.  
"Huh?" Lavi's eyes refocus as he takes a step back. "Oh, it's nothing."  
"Really?" Damion raises an eyebrow.  
"Uh…" Lavi grins sheepishly. "It's just… A-Ray's class is still up there."  
"Up where?" Damion spins around, forgetting 'Allen' completely.  
"Uh, there." Lavi steps forward to point to the fourth floor classroom.  
"You _have_ told a teacher, right?" Damion asks, looking over at Lavi.  
"Course." Lavi grins. "I told Mr Mackrell, he said he was getting the principal."  
"Then don't worry." Damion grins back. "C'mon, let's find Rich."

—

"Ray…" Ben stares at the building and then back at the crowd. Where is his little brother?

—

The explosion sends shudders through the whole building. The loud noise echoes through the classroom as students scream.  
"A-An earthquake!?" Chad cries, falling to the floor.  
"It sounded like something exploded!" Gabe exclaims. "What the hell!?"  
"Get down!" Zoe orders, pulling Felicia down.

Allen pushes himself off his chair as his head pain starts to sharpen around his left eye.

Felicia's sobs, as well as scared whispers flood the room as Allen watches the door intently.

—

"What the-" Damion stares as a the nearest building's roof explodes. Dust and debris fly as the building shakes.

Lavi watches, horrified, as some of the windows shatter, raining glass outside and inside.

"What's going on!?" Someone cries as the explosion dies down.

As teachers try to calm the panicking students, Lavi searches desperately for Mr Mackrell.

But he's nowhere to be seen.

—

The door swings open with a bang, causing the students to look up.  
"Mr Mackrell?" Chad speaks up as he tries to stand.

The caring teacher stands motionless, his face blank, as he stares into the room.

"I don't like this." Zoe mutters, pulling Felicia close.

"Sir!" Gabe stands excitedly. "You've saved us!"

"No…" Allen mutters. He has one hand over his eye as he stares through the gaps between his fingers. He needed barely a send to recognise the familiar sight.

But what could he do?

—

"S-Sir?" Gabe approaches the teacher, smiles wavering.

Miss Preston appears behind Mr Mackrell, looking equally emotionless.

The two block the doorway, standing firm like bars on a cell.

"W-What do we do?" Felicia whispers to Zoe.  
"…I don't know." Zoe scowls. "Just stay close."

"It is here." Miss Preston speaks, her voice now twisted and distorted.  
"One of these children." Mr Mackrell adds.  
"And another, on the ground."  
"The stronger one takes priority."  
"In here."  
"In here."

The young students watch as the teachers step inside the classroom, still firmly in front of the exit.

"C-Can we leave now?" Gabe speaks up, moving closer still.  
"Not him." Miss Preston decides, looking Gabe up and down.  
"Disposable." Mr Mackrell agrees.  
"Dispose of them."

—

The black bullet shatters the window as the flies out of the building.

Lavi can just barely see red blood scattering behind it.

" _Well, shit."_

—

"Gabe!"  
The tanned boy falls to the ground, eyes wide as his clothes stain with blood. In seconds, his skin stains black and he falls into an ashen dust.

Felicia sobs loudly as Mr Mackrell's arm, now a large cannon, retracts back to normal.

"Who is it?" Mr Mackrell demands, looming above the terrified children.

"It doesn't matter." Miss Preston decides. "Dispose of them all."

—

Lavi feels painfully helpless as another gunshot sounds.

"Holy hell." Damion swears. "What's going on!?"  
"An Akuma, I'd expect." Rich sighs sadly. "There's nothing we can do."

Lavi can never get used to the public knowing everything now. Well, almost everything. It is to be expected though, with a war going on this long. It's almost strange that Akuma are still being produced, but not really.

—

Allen knows he could do something. He could summon his Innocence, like he has countless times before. It would be here in seconds, no matter where it is now.

" _Lavi's probably thinking the same thing. We could both end these lives of ours now."_

—

" _I can't let Allen do that."_ Lavi decides. _"I've been around longer. It's only fair-"_

—

" _Lavi's got so many friends and a sister to look after."_

—

" _We've always protected each other. I won't let anything take this away from us, from him, not after this long."_

—

" _I'm sorry, Lavi-"_

—

" _I'm sorry, Allen-"_

—

A bright flash of light blinds Lavi momentarily. The swarm of students cry out loudly.

As the flash dims, Lavi spots someone hovering meters above them, bathed in green light.

" _An exorcist."_

Lavi lets out a relieved sigh. They still had time.

—

Allen stares at the figure outside. He floats in green light with a strong glare focused on the two Akuma.

"… _The uniform's changed again."_ Allen notes.

The exorcist is waring primarily black, like usual, but with navy and white trimmings. Indications of rank and other badges cover the front. The style never really changed, since every uniform was different anyway, but now it looks even more like a military uniform, rather than those that resembled priests.

"Stand down." The exorcist moves closer, giving Allen a better view of his face.

Black hair falls to the middle-aged man's shoulders, tied in braids with beads. A tame beard covers his chin and his sparkling blue eyes are burning with rage.

Allen also spots his Innocence, a large sword-like blade coloured green, blue and yellow. It reminds Allen of ocean waves.

"Exorcist!" Miss Preston cries out as she and Mr Mackrell transform fully.

"Level 1s." The exorcist holds out his weapon. "Prepare for your end!"

—

Lavi smiles as two Level 1s burst through the roof, covered in wounds pouring out Akuma oil.  
"Ew." Rich turns away.  
"Nice." Damion grins.

The exorcist emerges onto the roof and quickly finishes the Akuma off, causing them to explode in a burst of dust.

—

Allen shakily stands as his pain fades, his hand still over his eye. He can feel it bleeding.

Rubble lies through out the room from the Akumas' attacks.

Three 'bodies' lies across the floor as clothes stained with ash.

" _Gabe…Frederick….and Wendy."_ Allen grimaces as he turns away. He should have been able to help them.

"Are any of you hurt?"  
Allen looks up to see the exorcist reenter the room. He looks kind.

After a collective no, the exorcist sadly moves to the 'bodies'.

"I'm sorry." He apologises quietly as he kneels beside them. "I couldn't help you."

Zoe and Felicia make their way over to Allen, who's standing solemnly.  
"Ray." Zoe looks at him curiously. "What happened to your eye?"  
"Hm?" Allen turns to her. "Oh…it's just a scratch-"

"It is _not_!" Zoe grabs his hand, pulling it away.

Felicia gasps as she hides behind Zoe.  
A long gash streaks down Allen's left eye, which is red and bleeding. Luckily, there's no pentagram, just a straight line.

" _Not for long."_ Allen inwardly sighs. _"It'll fully form eventually."_

"Are you injured?" The exorcist seems to notice the trio. "Oh."  
"I'm fine." Allen covers his eye again, hoping to avoid the exorcist.  
"You're not." The man crouches down in front of him and starts to rummage in his pockets. "I think I have something…"  
"…Who are you?" Zoe asks, watching the exorcist cautiously.  
"My name is Keith Larr." Keith smiles at Zoe. "Could I ask for your name, little lady?"  
"…Zoe." Zoe turns to Felicia. "And this is Felicia."  
"Nice to meet you." Keith looks back to Allen, now with a bandage in hand. "And you are?"

"Ray." Allen answers quietly.  
"Hello." Keith smiles again as he holds out the bandage. "May I?"

—

Lavi watches a swarm of Finders wade through the crowd, pacifying teachers and students alike.

"Hey!" Damion reaches out to grab one, pulling him over.

"Yes?" The Finder turns to the trio.  
"What's happened to the kids still in the building!?" Damion demands. "They were right where the Akuma attacked!"  
"An exorcist is currently with them." The Finder pacifies. "They will we brought here shortly."

As the Finder walks off, a familiar voice calls out.  
"H-Hey!" Ben rushes up to the three, out of breath.  
"Ben!" Lavi step forward.  
"D-Do you know what happened to Ray!?" Ben demands. "Y-You were talking to-"

"He's fine." Lavi answers, giving the boy confident smile. "He'll be here in just a minute."

—

"Are you ready to leave?" Keith looks down at Allen. "That eye didn't look too good."  
"Yeah." Allen nods. "I'm fine."  
"Then, let's head out." Keith turns to the nineteen remaining students. "We're going outside now, alright?"  
A collective yes lets Keith head to the exit.

The class slowly resend through the stairwell, a tense silence covering the group.

Allen watches Zoe and Felicia.  
They…helped him, before. They'd cared.  
He'd only spoken to them once or twice. Were they friends?  
Allen isn't sure, but maybe they could be.

—

Lavi grins as he spots Allen emerge from the building, only for it to drop immediately at the sight of his bandaged eye.

"Ray!" Ben rushes forward towards his brother.  
"Ben?" Allen barely has time to react before he's slammed into.  
"You're okay!" Ben cries hugging Allen tight.  
"Ow." Allen pushes him off with a smile.  
"Of course, I'm fine-"  
"You're _eye_!" Ben gapes at the bandage. "What happened!?"  
"Just a scratch." Allen consoles. "It doesn't even hurt."

—

"Feelin' alright, Ray?" Lavi smiles down at Allen.  
"Fine." Allen repeats. "Really."

"Alright." Lavi sighs, looking around at the school. "What a mess."  
"Does this mean we get out of class?" Damion wonders. "Since the school's been wrecked."  
"I hope so." Lavi grins. "I need a break."  
"Yeah." Allen grins. "Me too."

* * *

 **yes! actual action!**

 **there'll be another time skip next chapter, seeing as school isn't wonderfully** **eventful.**

 **I'll clear up how the reincarnation thing works soon, so don't fret!  
Also there'll be more Kanda and Lenalee too!  
Maybe all four together!?**

 **Maybe.  
Anyway, thanks for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard**


	4. Chapter 4

**HEY!  
Here's the new chap! T^T/ my blood, sweat, and tears!  
Special thanks to my reviewers!**

 **Note!  
** **I wil NOT give away the story prior to writing! All questions will be answered in the story!  
I do like getting questions so I know what to clear up so, THANK YOU!  
But I won't directly reply, instead I'll add it into the story or RARELY add an authors note. But I'm not a fan of those explaining the story.  
**

 **I only try to leave these here if a problem has emerged and such so anyone who doesn't care should skip these!**

 **Thanks again  
-Cheese Wizzard**

* * *

 **ALLEN 11**

 **LAVI 15**

 **LENALEE 13**

 **KANDA 16**

—

 **?**

"Hey! Demon boy!"  
"Where're you going!?"  
"Get back here!"  
"Not so tough without your friend, huh!?"  
"Yeah! Where's he now!?"  
"Don't think you're getting away!"  
"…"

"What a freak."  
"It'd be better is he was gone."  
"Demons don't deserve to be alive."  
"Maybe we should tell someone. Someone who can get rid of it."  
"I think I've found our solution."

 **?**

—

Kanda stands at Lenalee's front door, a school bag on his back and an irritated expression on his face.

"Akai!" Lenalee rushes out the door, her mother visible behind her.  
"You're late." Kanda scowls, watching Lenalee comes to a stop in front of him.  
"Sorry." Lenalee smiles up at him.  
"Are you two alright by yourself?" Nari asks, smiling at the teens.

"We're fine." Kanda nods to her.  
"See you this afternoon, then." Nari waves.  
"Bye!" Lenalee waves as the door closes before turning to Kanda.  
"Let's go." Kanda starts down the street, Lenalee in tow. "We're already late."

—

 **TWENTY MINUTES LATER.**

"Go on ahead." Kanda says to Lenalee at the school gates. "You're friends are waiting."  
"Are you sure?" Lenalee looks at Kanda worriedly.  
"Sure." Kanda nods, turning away. "You'd better get going."

—

Kanda wanders the streets around the school, seeing that he still had some free time.

People bustle around as the day begins, shopping bags or briefcases in hand. Shop sellers smile happily at passersby, trying to sell their various products.

"How about this?"  
"Looks dodgy."  
"What? I think it's neat."  
"Well, it's your money."

Kanda notices that he's stopped, listening to a conversation across the street. He can't see the speakers, but they sound oddly familiar…

"Come _on_ , we're going to be late."  
"Just give me another minute, Al!"  
"I'm going to leave."  
"Hey! Wait!"

 _"_ _Al? That sounds like_ _…"_

Kanda stares as two figures come into view, exiting a small shop.

They both have red hair, but different shades. The taller one has bright hair tied back with a green bandana. The younger is over a head shorter, his dark red hair sitting short and neat with a light purple bandana of the same design. They remind Kanda of doppelgängers...

"Moyashi?" Kanda mutters to himself, instantly recognising the pair. "Baka usagi?"

"Come on, La-Jon!" The younger one grins, turning so Kanda can see his face.  
"If you say so, _Ray_." 'Jon' smirks at 'Ray' as they power down the street.

Kanda tries to recognise the uniform before they get lost among the crowds. He doesn't make it.  
"Shit." Kanda checks his watch.

" _Ten minutes."_

—

Kanda slams the store door open, startling the elderly clerk inside.  
"What school were they from!?" Kanda demands, storming up to the counter.

"E-Excuse me?" The clerk looks at Kanda nervously.  
"Those red heads." Kanda glares at the man. "You saw their uniform's right? What school?"  
"…oh…" The old man lets out a deep breath. "I…I believe it was…"

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"He's still not back." Lenalee mutters, looking out the windows towards the school gates.

"You talking about your friend?" A messy, black haired girl sucks loudly on a lollipop as she speaks.

"Akai." Lenalee confirms. "Yeah."  
"He's going to be late."  
"He'll be here soon, Mak. He has to be."  
"Sure." Mak shrugs, turning to the other girls nearby and leaving Lenalee to her worries.

—

"Hey!" Kanda darts through the closing gates, causing the groundskeeper to call after him.

He rushes into the sandstone building, past the pebbled ground and green grasses. Inside, people wander about, either heading to class or still chatting with friends.  
"Akai!"  
Kanda spots Lenalee coming down the nearby stairs, her friends in tow.  
"Hey, he made it."  
Kanda glares at the black haired girl before walking right up to Lenalee.  
"What?" Lenalee asks.  
"I found them." Kanda says.

"Y-You…Them…" Lenalee's eyes widen. "How!?"  
"Saw them in the street." Kanda explains, trying not to smile as Lenalee brightens up.  
"D-Did you talk to them?" She asks excitedly.  
"I just missed them." Kanda scowls before recovering. "But I got their school's address."  
"So they're together." Lenalee sighs. "I was worried they'd be alone."  
"Those two are magnetic." Kanda shrugs. "I'm not surprised."

—

"I can't believe you bought that thing." Allen mutters, walking next to Lavi.  
"Hey! It's cool." Lavi protests.  
"But, a finger puppet? Really?" Allen points to the bird on Lavi's middle finger.

"It's great! You don't know what you're saying."

—

 **SIX HOURS LATER.**

"This is it?" Lenalee stares up at the monochrome buildings.  
"It should be." Kanda says.  
"…They must finish later than us." Lenalee decides, curiously watching the empty grounds.

Only a minute later, a loud bell echoes through the school.

"That must be it." Lenalee smiles happily. "Oh, I'm so excited!"

—

 **HALF AN HOUR LATER.**

"You're _sure_ this is the right place?" Lenalee asks again.  
"Of course!" Kanda barks. "That clerk sees them everyday."  
"Maybe he got it wrong." Lenalee sighs.  
"You should get home." Kanda says. "Your mom's going to be worried."  
"I'll go." Lenalee nods.  
"Don't get lost." Kanda waves goodbye.

"You're not coming?" Lenalee wonders.  
"I'm waiting." Kanda glares at the building. "They'll have to come out eventually."

—

 **HALF AN HOUR LATER.**

"This is shit." Kanda mutters to himself as he stares up at the sky, watching grey clouds pass over a bright blue sky.

A loud creak causes Kanda to turn around, back to the school building.

"I'll see you guys later." A slightly tanned, brown haired boy waves into the building.  
"Wait for me, Damion." A paler, black haired teen emerges after him, hurrying after 'Damion'.

"Hurry it up." Damion keeps walking, waiting for his friend to catch up.

As the two reach the gate, Kanda steps out to intercept them.  
"Hm?" Damion looks at him curiously. "What?"  
"…" Kanda just glares at the boy, glad for his recent growth spurt giving him a few inches over the other.

"Well, we're in a hurry. So, see you around." Damion dismisses while his friend eyes Kanda nervously.

"Jon." Kanda finally says, remembering the name. "Is he with you?"  
"What's it to you?" Damion narrows his eyes at Kanda, suddenly defensive.  
"I need to speak with him." Kanda says, crossing his arms. "And the brat too."  
"…Ray?" The black haired teen wonders.  
"That's him." Kanda confirms. "Are they here?"  
"I ain't telling you-"  
"They're inside."  
"Rich!" Damion stares at his friend.  
"I'll tell them you're here." Rich sprints back to the building, but not before grabbing Damion by the arm to pull him with.

—

"Jon!" Rich bursts back into the clubroom, Damion still in tow.  
"I thought you were leaving." Lavi straightens up, looking at the pair curiously. "What's up?"  
"There's some freak looking for you!" Damion answers, pulling out of Rich's grip. "He's waiting out front. He wanted to see Ray too."  
"Did he say his name?" Lavi asks as Allen heads over from the corner.  
"Nah." Rich shakes his head. "He didn't say."  
"What'd he look like?" Allen asks, stopping beside Lavi.  
"Uh…" Rich looks thoughtful. "About this tall." He gestures with his hand. "Blue eyes, dark blue hair, wouldn't stop glaring-"

"Jon." Allen pulls on Lavi's sleeve, bringing his head down to whisper in his ear. "Do you think-"

"Seems like it." Lavi whispers back, nodding.  
"What!?" Damion demands, watching the two interact.  
"We'll handle it." Lavi smiles at Damion. "We're…old friends."

Allen snorts loudly at Lavi's words, causing the latter to glare at him.  
"Thanks."

—

 **TWO MINUTES LATER.**

Kanda immediately spots the two red-heads exit the building causally, school bags on their backs.  
'Jon' spots him immediately and smiles brightly as he skips forward.

'Ray' just keeps walking, letting 'Jon' go ahead with a smaller smile on his face.

"Yuu!?" 'Jon' comes to a stop in front of Kanda. "Is it really you!?"  
"Idiot." Kanda punches Lavi squarely in the nose. "Learn some subtleties."  
"Says you." Allen moves next to Lavi, not moving to help the fallen teen.  
"Whatever, moyashi." Kanda glares at the boy, crushing any positive emotions he may have been feeling.  
"Haven't you learnt to be nice, Kanda?" Allen glares back. "Or is that too much for you to-"

"What is going on!?" Damion and Rich suddenly appear next to them. "You left us in the clubroom!"  
"Sorry." Lavi looks up at Damion, one hand over his bleeding nose.  
"Jon! What happened?" Rich crouches down next to him, holding out a tissue.  
"Heh, got punched." Lavi grins.  
"You-" Damion turns to glare at Kanda.  
"It was his fault." Kanda says, turing away.

"What-"  
"It was." Allen agrees, nose upturned to Lavi.  
"Thanks." Lavi says, looking up at the assembled group.  
"Who are you anyway?" Rich looks at Kanda curiously before turning to Allen. "Who is he?"  
"Oh." Allen looks at Kanda. "This is…uh…"  
"Akai." Kanda sighs.  
"You don't know his name." Damion looks at Allen with a deadpan. "Old friends my a-"  
"Can you leave?" Kanda glares at Damion. "You're annoying."  
"Annoying!?" Damion fumes. "I am not-"

"You are." Rich says, helping Lavi stand. "But we should go."  
"Why!?" Damion demands.  
"These three need to talk, alone." Rich starts to push the other teen away, giving Kanda an apologetic smile. "Sorry about this."

—

"So…" Lavi looks over to Kanda curiously. "What's up?"  
"You look stupid." Kanda glares at Lavi.  
"Thanks." Lavi sighs. "You're terrible friends."  
"I'm _not_ your friend." Kanda turns away from Lavi.  
"Awww! How could you say that, Yuu? After all we've been through?"  
"You're stupid."  
"And you're still illiterate." Allen chimes in.  
"Shut it, moyashi."  
"You're the one still talking."

"You little-"

"Can you two stop?"

Kanda glares at the two before sighing and taking a step back. "…Lenalee's here too."  
"Lenalee!?" Allen exclaims. "Where!?"  
"At home, stupid moyashi." Kanda growls. "She has curfew."  
"Speaking of…" Lavi turns to Allen. "Don't you need to be home in ten minutes?"  
"Do I?" Allen checks his watch. "Yes. I do."  
"Well, this has been a great talk." Lavi grins as he pushes Allen in the direction of his house. "But little sprout needs his rest."  
"Who're you calling little?" Allen glares up at Lavi, who remains unaffected.  
"But we should have a proper talk when we can." Lavi decides.  
"Here." Kanda throws a piece of paper at Lavi, which he easily catches. "Call me tonight."  
"Are you flirting with me?" Lavi bats his eyelashes at Kanda.  
"I'm leaving." Kanda turns and walks away, ignoring Lavi's protests.

"Whatever." Allen sighs. "But I really need to go."  
"I'll text you these." Lavi holds up the paper. "Lenalee's is here too."

—

 **THREE DAYS LATER.**

"Ray!?" Lavi calls up to the house.  
"Jon!?" A faint voice calls back as a window is pushed open.

"Yo!" Lavi waves as his friend comes into view.  
"You're early." Allen grins.  
"Couldn't wait." Lavi shrugs.

"I'll be another minute!" Allen turns back to his room. "Wait there!"

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"Bye!"  
Allen waves to his mom as he steps out into the street, where Lavi is waiting for him.  
"You ready?" Lavi grins.  
"Of course."

—

"Let's go." Kanda watches Lenalee frantically throw things into a bag. "You're taking too long."  
"I'm going as fast as I can!" Lenalee spins around, throwing her pack onto her back. "Okay."  
"Okay." Kanda turns around and leaves the bedroom, Lenalee close behind.  
"I'm so excited!" Lenalee cheers, skipping behind Kanda.  
"Then we should leave." Kanda gestures to the floor, pushing it open.  
"Right!" Lenalee jumps through, landing on the ground outside.

"You're leaving?" Lenalee's father peers at them from the living room at the end of the hall.  
"Yup!" Lenalee grins.  
"We'll be a few hours." Kanda adds.

"Well, have fun." Seok turns back to his paper as the door slams shut.

"Have they gone?" Nari calls from upstairs.  
"They just left!" Seok calls back.  
"Oh." Nari hurries down the stairs, heading into the living room.

"Why?" Seok looks at his wife curiously.

"I'd almost forgot." Nari sighs, pulling out a piece of paper. "I wanted to show Mei this."

"What is it?" Seok gets up and takes the paper.  
"Something from school." Nari answers. "About the…uh…"  
"Hm?" Seok opens the sheet, scanning the contents. As he spots a logo at the top, his blood runs cold. "The Black Order."

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"They're not here." Lavi looks around the empty cafe, spotting a teen worker lazing over the register.  
"Maybe we can get something to eat." Allen smiles, heading over to the display of pastries and cakes.  
"Hey, these look good."

"In here?"  
The door opens with a soft ring from the bell as two teens step inside.

Lavi and Allen don't look up immediately, instead passing bills to the cafe employee.  
"A-Allen? And Lavi?"

Allen looks up to see a small girl with dark green hair pulled into matching pig-tails. She wears a pastel dress with matching shoes.

"Lenalee?" Allen stares at his friend.  
"Allen!" She barrels forward, slamming into the boy.  
"Lenalee!" Allen grins widely as he hugs her back as they regain their balance.  
"Lena-lady?" Lavi looks down at Lenalee curiously, earning a wide smile.  
"Lavi!"

"This is too sweet for me." Kanda grumbles, taking a seat in the far corner.  
"You're just too sour." Allen calls over.

"I can't believe it!" Lenalee gushes, taking the two's hands. "You're really here!"  
"Of course." Lavi grins at her. "You said it yourself-"

"'Family', right?" Allen finishes.  
"O-Of course!" Lenalee smiles widely, soft tears streaking down her cheeks. "Family!"

—

"So we've all been in the same situation." Lavi concludes.  
"Seems like it." Kanda crosses his arms.  
"I'm surprised we didn't meet each other sooner." Allen adds.  
"It's not like exorcists have much time to mingle anymore." Lavi sighs. "And we were barely around at the same time anyway."  
"I guess." Allen sighs.  
"Has anything…happened?" Lenalee looks at Allen curiously. "I mean, your scar…"  
"Oh." Allen touches the fully formed injury. "It was a normal attack, as far as I can tell."  
"Normal?" Kanda snorts. "Since when has anything with anything to do with you 'normal'?"  
"Says you." Allen mutters.  
"Won't someone notice?" Lenalee wonders, watching the bright red scar.  
"I usually keep it covered." Allen pulls a purple bandana from his bag. "Like I used to."

"Speaking of…" Kanda looks around the small table. "It's almost time, isn't it?"

"Just about." Lavi says. "My latest was seventeen, but…"  
"Mine was fifteen." Allen adds. "The earliest was this one time when I was eleven…"  
"Nobody cares." Kanda inturrupts. "That's not the issue."  
"What is?" Lenalee wonders.  
"We're all together, right?" Kanda says. "The Akuma will pick us up soon enough. We'll probably have some Noah on our trail too."  
"Not to mention the Order." Lavi sighs. "You're right."  
"We're…close to headquarters too." Lenalee adds. "Out Innocence would have noticed us by now."  
"Maybe they have." Allen says. "But the Order are anything but careless, they'd be extra sure before doing anything."  
"But they know we're coming." Kanda says. "Or well enough."  
"Like always." Allen sighs. "They're probably keeping an eye out already."  
"Whatever happens, we stick together." Lenalee decides. "I'm not loosing you guys again."  
"Of course." Lavi grins. "Not after this long."  
"Yeah." Allen smiles. "Together."

—

 **TWO HOURS LATER.**

"I'll see you later." Kanda says as Lenalee unlocks her front door.  
"Alright." Lenalee looks over at him, her eyes still sparkling. "I hope we can do this again."  
"Anytime." Kanda nods. "We know where they are now."

—

"I'm home!"  
"Mei?" Nari calls from the living room, drawing Lenalee forward.  
"Mom?" Lenalee steps into the room, spotting her parents inside.  
"Mei." Nari sighs. "We need to talk."  
"What is it?" Lenalee wonders, stepping forward as she tries to ignore the horrible scenarios flashing through her mind.

"We got a letter from school today." Nari holds out a sheet of paper, letting her daughter take it.

"About what?" Lenalee opens the paper curiously, looking at it's contents.

The Rose Cross glares up at her, it's unmistakable form sending shivers down Lenalee's spine.

"The…Order is having the nearby schools…checked." Nari tries, looking at her husband hopelessly.  
"H-Has something happened?" Lenalee looks at her parent worriedly.  
"No, no." Nari shakes her head, stepping forward to console her daughter. "There's just been some bad rumours going around."  
"…Oh." Lenalee nods. "That's…"

"It'll be alright." Seok says. "I'm sure everything will be alright."

—

 **A FEW MINUTES LATER.**

"That Order…" Seok shakes his head. "What is it about them?"  
"Who knows." Nari lets out a deep breath. "I suppose it's all the things they say and do."  
"And the things they don't tell us." Seok adds.  
"…Yes."  
"This'll be fine." Seok repeats. " _We_ _'_ _ll_ be fine."  
"She…She was so _scared_." Nari sighs shakily. "Why would Mei-"  
"I'm sure everything we say isn't helping." Seok says. "They're not painted in exactly the best light."  
"She's probably heard some things." Nari sits on the nearest armchair. "About them taking children away…"

—

 **?**

"Ow." Allen scratches his left arm, ignoring the developing scabs. They weren't healing like the rest of him. Well, they were, but not properly, even Allen could tell. Ugly red marks stain the skin, unbearably itchy as just as painful.

"Crown Clown…" Allen sighs. "I can't stay away much longer."

The pain is already getting bad. Allen can't let this go on for too long…or else…

…

—

 **?**

"Hey!" Mak slams a door open, flooding light into the dark room.  
"What do you want, Makenzie!?" A young man appears in the doorway, black hair covering his eyes.  
"You've slept in." Mak grins, sticking a lollipop in her mouth. "Come on."  
"Ugh." The man groggily grabs a pair of glasses from the floor and sticks them on his face.  
As he wipes his hair away, abnormally yellow eyes appear.

As his skin darkens, a small black mole appears on his cheek.  
"Hurry it up." Mak spins around, letting her pale skin fade to grey. "The Earl is waiting."

—

 **:O**

 **Thanks dudes for reaching my longest chapter yet! I'm so proud of myself! Thanks for reading!  
-Cheese Wizzard**


	5. Chapter 5

**And here's another!  
Hehe.**

* * *

 **ALLEN 11**

 **LAVI 15**

 **LENALEE 13**

 **KANDA 16**

—

" _This sucks._ "  
"Really? I didn't notice." Allen falls back onto his bed, phone in one hand and a sheet of paper in the other.

" _What_ _'_ _s the plan?_ "  
"Like I know." Allen sighs. "Do you think Kanda and Lenalee got the same thing?"  
" _Probably. I was going to call them later._ "

"Good." Allen looks back at the paper. "Let's just hope nothing bad happens."

—

" _I don_ _'_ _t like this._ "  
"There's nothing we can do." Kanda says. "Not without being suspicious."  
" _I guess_."  
"We just have to play along." Kanda adds. "Keep a low profile, but don't be obvious."  
" _Y-Yeah. Thanks_."  
"Be safe."  
" _You too._ "

Kanda hangs up the phone as he glares at the paper on his desk.  
"Fuck."

 _ **ring ring ring ring**_

"What!?" Kanda grabs the phone again, checking the caller ID.

"…' _馬鹿ウサギ_ _'_ _What does he want…?"_

"What do you want, Baka Usagi?" Kanda speaks into the phone irritably.

" _That_ _'_ _s mean~, Yuu._ _"_

"What do you want?" Kanda growls.

" _Allen and I got this weird note from school-_ "

"From the Order." Kanda sighs.

" _Yeah. Did you get it too?_ "  
"Yes." Kanda replies. "It's all shit."

" _Do we have a plan, or_ _…_ _?_ "

"We just going to lie low." Kanda says.

" _Lenalee too?_ "

"Yeah."

"… _Alright. I_ _'_ _ll call if anything else happens._ "

"Whatever."

" _Good luck._ "

"…Yeah. You too."

—

Kanda slowly strips off his shirt, reaching for his pyjamas. As he does so, he spots small, black marks across his chest, particularly over his heart.  
"Shit."  
They are painfully obvious against his pale skin and the beginnings of a symbol can be seen.  
"They're getting bigger."

—

Lenalee scowls at the small marks across her ankles. The circular patterns faint, but quite large. She just hopes no one will notice. At least not for a little while longer.

" _Please…Just a little longer."_

—

Lavi sighs, looking at his eye through the mirror. Already, the iris is staining a light purple. It's not obvious unless someone knows what to look for. But…the Order know _exactly_ what to look for.

—

Allen tries to comb his hair forward, covering the bright red scar. Even against his hair, it's glaringly obvious. His hand feels itchy, like always.  
Allen slips his bandana and gloves on, hoping that it's help.

….It doesn't really.

—

 **TWO DAYS LATER.**

"Hey." Lavi greets Allen as he and Ben leave the house.  
"Morning." Allen smiles weakly.  
"Ready?" Lavi asks in a smaller voice, stepping away from Ben.  
"Yeah." Allen nods. "It'll be fine."  
"We're missing some classes today." Lavi says louder, looking over at Ben.  
"Really!?" Ben looks excited. "I hope I get out of history…"  
"I'd rather go to class." Allen sighs.  
"Oh well." Lavi pats Allen on the back. "Let's get this over with."

—

 **A LITTLE WHILE LATER.**

The trio eventually reach the school, where an odd group are assembled.  
"Is that them?" Ben narrows his eyes at the group, noticing the piratical talking to them.

The group consists of people in both white and tan coats, as well as a familiar face in black and two figures in red.

"Keith?" Allen mutters, recognising the exorcist.  
"Isn't that the guy from two years ago?" Ben wonders.  
"I think so." Allen nods.  
"I'm surprised he's here." Lavi admits.  
"Why?" Ben looks at Lavi curiously.  
"I…" Lavi glances at Allen before looking back at Ben. "Uh, thought he'd have better things to do."  
"I guess." Ben accepts the answers and looks back at the group from the Order.  
"I still wonder why they're here." Allen adds as the group move forwards. "I didn't think they took rumours so seriously."  
"Unless they're about Innocence." Lavi whispers, grinning.  
"I didn't realise they cared about anything else." Allen mutters.

"Aren't those CROW members?" Allen whispers as they pass.  
"Looks like it." Lavi scowls. "This looks serious."  
"Mmm." Allen watches Ben rush ahead, probably to meet his friends. "We haven't… slipped up, right?"  
"I hope not."

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

The students wait silently in the assembly hall, the teachers looking nervously around as the Order members file inside.

"Well." The principal reaches the stand and speaks into the microphone. "I'm sure you've all received the notices sent out during the weekend."  
An uncomfortable silence follows as the principal starts to sweat.  
"A-Anyway, I've been asked to speak to you anyway."  
He coughs nervously, glancing over at the red-cloaked figures standing at the doors.

"As you should know, some nasty rumours have been going around lately, regarding some unnamed students."  
Allen spots Lavi, a few rows away, looking just as nervous as he feels.

"Reports of…activities and matters strictly monitored by the Black Order."  
Lavi seems to spot Allen too as he sends him a friendly grin.

"Because of this, some members are here to assess this school for dangers."  
Allen tries to grin back, but a sick feeling in his stomach just causes him to scowl.  
"Other schools in the area are also being evaluated as well as other institutions nearby."  
Lavi turns back to the front, eyes still watching the CROW at the door.

"I hope that you all cooperate fully during the day and I thank all teachers for their help. Thank you."

The principal quickly exits the stage as he is replaced at the podium by one of the scientists.  
"Thank you, principal."  
The scientist is bald and has an angular brown beard. His coat is decorated with a few ribbons and badges.

"My name is Winston Vernian from the Science Division of the Black Order Headquarters."  
Vernian looks distastefully at the students, looking like he hasn't slept in days, something Allen is sure is true.

"Today we'll be assessing your school for dangers. We are also required to check for…potential members among you. You'll all soon be separated into year groups, where'll you receive further instructions."  
Allen spots Keith watching from side stage.  
"I hope nothing…disorderly happens today."  
Vernian sighs quietly, obviously upset about having to speak.  
"Thank you."

—

Allen files into the infirmary with the rest of his year. Scientists and nurses wander around the white curtains set up across the room.  
"Hello there." A woman in a lab coat appears, smiling happily at the group. "My name Asher Carmen. Call me Asher." Her red hair stand out among the white coats and curtains. A small pait of glasses sit on her nose, reminding Allen of Komui.  
"Yes, well." An older man in large glasses appears next to her. "We need to get started."  
"Oh, right." Asher grins. "We'll just be doing some quick medical tests. I don't know why though."  
"The Akuma virus, Asher." The old man sighs.  
"Right. Thanks George."  
"Just get on with it." George vanishes behind a curtain.

"Well." Asher looks back to the students. "Let's get started."

—

"Please get in alphabetical order." A scientist says lazily, barely looking up at the students.  
"This sucks." Damion mutters.  
"I'd rather be in class." Rich adds.  
"Maybe you would." Damion sighs. "But I'd rather be at home."  
"It's not like we have much choice." Lavi says. "Let's just get this over with."  
"Damion Archerfield?" The scientist looks around. "You're first."  
"Great." Damion murmurs.  
"Good luck." Lavi gives Damion the thumbs up.  
"Thanks."

—

"Be careful." Kanda says again, watching Lenalee prepare to head off.  
"I know." Lenalee smiles up at him, albeit a little forced. "…What're you going to do?"  
"I've still got class." Kanda scoffs. "Trust this place to still try and teach us things."  
"Well…good luck in three hours." Lenalee says, just as a bell rings.

"I'll see you once you're done." Kanda nods. "Good luck."

—

"Ray Martin?" Asher smiles down Allen. "You've got me."  
"Have fun." Zoe drawls, watching Allen be pulled away.  
"Thanks." Allen sticks his tongue out at her.  
"Bye." Felicia waves nervously.  
"See you."

"Alright. Take a seat." Asher turns to a small medical kit as the two enter the curtained-off area.

A small, white bed lies in the middle with a small table to it's left. Another table stands near Asher, where's she's looking through some papers.  
"You were in that Akuma incident a little while back?" Asher turns to look at Allen. "I'm sorry you had to see that."  
Allen shrugs as he takes a seat on the bed, trying not to look uncomfortable.  
"Keith says you hurt your eye." Asher adds.  
"…You know him?" Allen looks at Asher curiously. He was honestly surprised.  
"Of course." Asher grins at him. "He always gets himself injured, so I'm stuck with him every other day."  
"I see." Allen looks at the medical kit on the nearby table, trying to see it's contents.  
"Now, don't be worried." Asher appears in front of Allen suddenly. "But can you show me your eye?"  
"M-My…" Allen instinctively puts a hand over his violet bandana, which covers the extremely conspicuous reverse pentagram.

"Just your eye then." Asher smiles kindly. "You can keep that on."  
Allen lets out a deep breath as Asher uses a small light to look at his eye. He just hoped it wouldn't look strange.  
"Hmm… Looks alright." Asher grins, stepping back. "Keith said you were pretty tough."  
"It didn't hurt much." Allen shrugs again.  
"I'm sure." Asher turns away again. "Now, here we go."

—

"Jonathan Myers?"  
"Good luck." Damion pushes Lavi forward.  
"Hey!"  
"I've already done it. It's your time to suffer."

—

"Mei Myong?"  
"T-That's me." Lenalee steps forward, towards the tan Finder.  
"Don't be nervous." The Finder smiles kindly at Lenalee. "This'll just take a minute."

The two move into an empty classroom, where the desks have been pulled to the sides, expect for two in the middle.  
"Take a seat." The Finder motions for Lenalee to sit down. "I'll be back soon."

The door clicks shut as Lenalee sits in the furthest chair, back to the windows as white light streams inside.

"Hello."  
Lenalee looks up to see a man in a lab coat in the doorway. His brown hair is parted neatly and pulled back in a short ponytail. A red tie hangs around his neck and about a dozen pens hang for various pockets on his coat.  
"My name is Jefferson Coleridge." The man takes a seat in front of Lenalee. "Nice to meet you, Mei."  
"Nice to meet you too…" Mei replies.  
"I just need you to answer some questions." Jefferson puts a few sheets of paper in front of Lenalee. "Can you fill these out for me?"  
Lenalee picks up the first paper, looking at it curiously. "…Alright."

—

"Can you roll up your sleeves?" Asher uncaps a small needle.  
"B-Both of them?" Allen grips his left arm.  
"Is something wrong?" Asher puts down the needle, watching Allen carefully. "If there's anything…I need you to tell me."  
"…" Allen contracts, pulling his head down and knees closer. He doesn't want it to end…not yet. They'll definitely see. They figure it out-

"…I think I have an idea." Asher heads to the exit. "I'll be right back."

—

"Take a seat." A scientist and Finder stand within the small room, watching Lavi closely as he enters.

"Sure." Lavi heads to the only seat, exactly in the middle and a stark white against the dark grey room.

"Your year group is one of the more…suspicious." The scientist starts. "We'll need you to answer some questions for us, alright?"  
"Of course." Lavi nods.

"Good." The scientist also nods, pulling out a clipboard and pen. "Let's start."

—

"I see."  
"Thanks a lot for this."  
"It's no problem. I was planning to-"

Allen looks up at the curtain is pushed aside, revealing Asher and Keith behind her.  
"Hello again." Keith gives Allen a wave, a small smile on his face. "Nice to see you again."  
"…Keith." Allen relaxes slightly, glad for the exorcist's company. "Hi."  
"Asher suggested that I visit." Keith glances at her. "And that you were a little nervous."  
"…Just a little." Allen mutters.  
"Is something wrong with your arm?" Keith wonders, stepping forward. "Asher said you were nervous about showing it."

"Kind of." Allen tenses. "It…"  
"May I?" Keith reaches out cautiously. "I promise nothing bad will happen. Alright?"  
Allen contemplates pulling away, but he doesn't want to be too obvious. Maybe he could play this off…

"Okay." Allen says quietly, relaxing his shoulders and putting down his hands.  
"Thank you." Keith smiles gratefully.

The two barely react, something Allen is grateful for, as his arm come into view. The skin is red and covered in dark scabs, both recent and older.  
"…What happened?" Keith asks calmly.  
"It gets itchy." Allen shrugs.  
"How long has it been like this?" Asher wonders.  
"A few months." Allen answers. "…Am I in trouble?"  
"No, no." Asher smiles. "We'll just take a quick look, okay?"  
"…Okay."

—

"Have you heard anything about the rumours?" The scientist looks at Lavi expectantly. "I've heard a few mention you directly."  
"…I'm not sure I know exactly what you're talking about." Lavi admits.  
"Regarding a…" The scientist checks his notes. "'Demon child'?"  
"Oh, that." Lavi's gaze turns stony. "That's nothing."  
"Is it?" The scientist doesn't look convinced.  
"It's…" Lavi fidgets slightly. "Just a dumb name some dumb bullies made up."  
"Are you aware about who they refer to?"  
"…Yes."  
"Can you tell us who it is?"

—

"Here." Lenalee passes the forms back to Jefferson. "I'm done."  
"Thank you." Jefferson takes the papers gratefully.  
"…Is that all?" Lenalee asks, almost hopeful.  
"Not quite." Jefferson smiles. "I just need to ask some separate questions."  
"Like what?" Lenalee wonders.  
"I just want to know…How much do you know about Akuma?"

* * *

 **Don't even worry.  
Anyway, I'll see ya soon!  
**

 **Again, if you spot any errors, give me a shout and I'll fix 'em!  
Thanks a lot!  
-Cheese Wizzard**


	6. Chapter 6

**ALLEN 11**

 **LAVI 15**

 **LENALEE 13**

 **KANDA 16**

—

Kanda glares at his lunch, his mind far to preoccupied for him to eat.  
He wonders how Lenalee is doing. Hell, he's worried about the stupid rabbit and moyashi. But he won't admit it.

Kanda leans back onto the school lawn, the bright green grass slightly damp, even in the middle of the day.  
A large oak tree stands above him, blocking out the sunlight and giving Kanda a small haven of darkness.

He tries to meditate, retreating into his mind.

But, of course, that doesn't work out.

The explosion shakes the entire school. Students scream as clouds of dust explode across the grounds.

The bangs of Akuma cannons, cause Kanda to jolt upwards, eyes searching for the enemy.

Three Akuma, all Level 2, hang in the sky not far from where he's sitting.

"Shit."

—

Lenalee feels the first explosion rock the building, almost knocking her out of her chair.  
"What the-" Jefferson stands, immediately heading to the window.  
An Akuma stares back through the glass, it's cannon's aimed at the building.

"Get away from here!" Jefferson calls to Lenalee. "Back into the corridor!"

—

"Damn it all!" Kanda hears bullets slam into the ground around his hiding place. The oak tree is large, but it won't take too many hits.

A flash of green suddenly illuminates behind him, causing Kanda to peek around the stump.

—

The flash shines into the classroom, causing Lenalee to stop as she reaches the door.  
"…Innocence."

—

A woman, with long blond hair and brown eyes, glares at the Akuma. A large gun sits in her hands, it's green glow almost eliminating it's purple coat. Large spikes cover the weapon as well as leather and bead decorations.  
"Fucking Akuma." The exorcist swears, pointing the gun at the nearest one. "Go to hell."

—

"W-What was that?" Allen spins around, hearing the loud explosion in the distance.  
"I'll find out." Keith quickly exits, pulling out a small, black golem from his pocket.  
"Uh oh." Asher scowls.  
"…" Allen tries to relax. The sound came from a few blocks away, at the least. That mean's at least he and Lavi are safe for now…  
"W-Where did that come from?" Allen cautiously asks.  
"Hmm…" Asher pulls out a phone thoughtfully. "I'll check."

—

"W-What the-" Lavi hears the noise echo through the room, causing the scientist to look around nervously.  
"What was that?" He barks at the Finder, who's already talking into his golem.  
"…An Akuma attack." The Finder answers. "At Bridgen Cross High."  
"Bridgen?" Lavi's eyes widen.

" _That's where Lenalee and Yuu are…"_

—

"Hmph." Kanda watches the exorcist kick the fallen Akuma, scowling at the twisted figures.

Akuma oil leaks across the ground, staining the grass and releasing a thick gas.  
"Hey, kid!" The exorcist seems to notice him as she pulls a scarf over her face.  
"This shit's toxic! I'd get out of here."  
Kanda shrugs, pulling out his jacket and holding it to his mouth.  
The exorcist shrugs as well, turning back to the Akuma.

—

"It was at Bridgen Cross High." Asher looks at Allen. "A little ways away."  
"…Oh." Allen feels his heart start to race.

"You okay?" Asher leans down in front of him. "You look sick."  
"…I've got friends that go there." Allen admits. "I'm just worried."  
"Don't be." Asher smiles. "There's an exorcist already over there. The problem'll be gone in no time."  
"Thanks." Allen lets out a breath. "Really."

—

"The Akuma have been eliminated." The Finder relays. "By Katherine Dargon."  
"Good." The scientist nods, regaining his composure.

Lavi also relaxes, sighing in relief. _"_ _That didn_ _'_ _t take long._ _"_

—

"You're pretty nosey." Katherine watches the teen carefully. "This stuff'll kill you."  
"It's fine." Kanda shrugs. "You're fine."  
"I guess." Katherine sighs, deactivating her Innocence. The somewhat-machine-gun shrinks into a small rifle, which is slung over her shoulder.  
"Akai!"  
Kanda turns to see Lenalee running towards him, a scientist close behind.  
"Jefferson?" Katherine mutters, stepping away from the rotting Akuma.  
"Akai!" Lenalee stops in front of Kanda, barely out of breath. "Are you okay!?"  
"I'm fine." Kanda nods. "Don't worry so much."  
"Katherine!" Jefferson breathes, leaning heavily on his knees. "You alright?"  
"You're worse for wear than me." Katherine grins. "Can't handle a little exercise?"  
"Hmph." Jefferson sighs. "Well, if you're alright…"  
"You think this is why we're here?" Katherine pokes the Akuma experimentally.  
"I wouldn't think so." Jefferson answers.  
"Why not?" Lenalee steps forward, watching Jefferson.  
"Oh, uh…" Jefferson looks taken aback. "That's-"

"The rumours were about Akuma inside the school, Mei." Kanda says. "Not ones just flying around in the open."  
"You're smarter than you look." Katherine mutters. "Why are you still here?"  
"No reason." Kanda shrugs, taking Lenalee's hand. "I was just leaving, anyway."

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

"I'm glad it's over." Lavi sighs, collapsing onto the seat beside Allen.  
"They _were_ in a rush to get out of here." Rich adds, taking a seat on Lavi's other side.  
"I'm glad it's over." Damion sits opposite them. "What a bore."

"I wonder if Bridgen Cross is alright…" Allen says offhandedly.  
"There was an exorcist there, right?" Rich says. "It was likely under control."

—

"See ya 'round, nosey brat." Katherine waves at Kanda, even in the small crowd.

"Whatever."

"I'm almost glad." Lenalee adds. "About the Akuma, I mean."  
"Me too." Kanda nods. "They were too distracted to be too thorough."

"…Do you think they found anything?" Lenalee wonders.  
"They better not."

—

 **TWO DAYS LATER.**

"Ray?" Chelsea slowly enters her son's room. "Are you here?"  
"Yeah." Chelsea spots her son on his bed, computer on his lap, as he looks up at her. "Do you need something?"

"Oh, yes." Chelsea moves forward, taking a seat next to Ray.

"What is it?" Ray looks at her curiously, closing the laptop. "Did something happen?"  
"We…Got this in the mail today." Chelsea holds up a letter. "From…The Black Order."  
Chelsea watches her son stiffen slightly and eyes widen. "About what?" He asks slowly.  
"It's something they found in the medical test." Chelsea explains. "There's something you're not telling me."  
"…Oh." Ray looks away, unconsciously shying away.  
"They say there's something wrong with you arm." Chelsea continues. "They want it checked by a doctor."  
"…" Ray just sits silently, avoiding his mother's stare.  
"When were you going to tell us, Ray?" Chelsea looks at him sadly. "You don't have to hide anything."  
"…Sorry." Ray murmurs.  
"…It's alright." Chelsea sighs. "You were scared, hurt, and confused." She holds out her hands and takes his, both of them. "But you don't have to hurt alone. Not anymore."

—

 **ONE DAY LATER.**

"Al? You staying after school?" Lavi walks next to Allen on their way to school.  
"Oh, about that…" Allen looks up at Lavi. "My mom found out about this." He gestures to his left arm. "And wants me to see a doctor this afternoon."  
"Aw, alright." Lavi sighs. "Just stay safe, 'kay?"  
"Yeah." Allen grins. "I will."

—

 **THAT AFTERNOON.**

"Good afternoon." The doctor looks at Allen. "You must be Ray."  
"Nice to meet you." Allen nods as he and his mother enter the small room.

Inside the doctor's office, the walls are a sky blue, matching both the roof and floor. Everything else is coloured in pastels, from pale pink to pale green.

"Take a seat." The doctor motions to some seats.

The doctor sits opposite them, behind a large white desk.  
"Now…" She pulls out some papers. "Can you tell me what's wrong?"  
"Ray?" Chelsea looks over to her son, who's fidgeting nervously.  
"…Do I have to?" Allen murmurs, looking at his mother hopefully.  
"Alright." Chelsea sighs, turning back to the doctor. "Doctor-"

"Vicky." She corrects. "Please."  
"Vicky." Chelsea smiles. "Ray's…There's something wrong with his arm."  
"How so?" Vicky looks at ray curiously.  
"Oh, it works fine." Chelsea answers. "But there's a problem with the skin."  
"Show me." Vicky turns to Ray.  
"…Okay." Allen slips off his gloves and rolls up his sleeve, uncomfortable under the doctor's sharp gaze.  
"Hm…" Vicky narrows her eyes. "Let's start with a few tests…"

—

 **(Yeah, I'm kind of glossing over this part. Sorry. But I didn't want to be boring.)**

 **TWO DAYS LATER.**

"As far as I can tell, there's little you need to worry about." Vicky says. "It isn't spreading or developing further, but there's no current way to remedy it."  
"I see." Chelsea smiles gratefully. "Thank you."  
"Don't thank me just yet." Vicky glances over at Ray. "If anything more happens, whether in the skin or the arm itself, come see me immediately."

—

 **LATER.**

"That went well." Lavi nods as Allen finishes.  
"I was worried they'd find something." Allen sighs. "But I'm in the clear for now."  
"You worry too much." Lenalee grins. "But I am glad everything's alright."  
"For now, anyway." Kanda mutters.  
"What was that?" Lavi looks over at Kanda.  
"We're getting to the age where we can't…" Kanda lets out a deep breath.  
"You worry too much." Lavi copies Lenalee. "Whatever happens, happens. There's not much we can do."  
"Yeah." Allen smirks at Kanda. "Don't be such a grump."  
"Tch."

* * *

 **Yes, it's short. Sorry! Really. But this one kind of sums things up.**

 **There'll be another time jump next and it'll get real messy.** **  
** **Anyway, there'll be some more flashbacks and such to explain the past SO DON'T FRET.** **  
** **Thanks for reading!** **  
** **-Cheese Wizzard.**


	7. Chapter 7

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 15**

 **KANDA 18**

—

Allen stares out his window, the pale moonlight barely illuminating the raindrops streaking down the glass. Their loud pattering hits the entire house, making a sound like roaring thunder.  
"Ugh." Allen sits up and rubs his eyes. He just can't sleep today.

He rolls out of bed and heads to the door.

Outside, the corridor is blanketed in darkness, Allen can barely make out the shadows of the walls and stairs nearby.  
He feels his way to the bathroom, stepping inside and flicking on the lights.

The white glow illuminated the room brightly, causing Allen to raise a hand to his eyes.

After adjusting to the brightness, Allen lower his hand and heads to the sink.

Allen glances up at the mirror, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"… _What's that?"_

Allen squints at a grey blob floating in his vision.

He closes his eyes in turn, but the figure doesn't move.  
Allen turns to look behind him, but there's nothing there.  
Squinting at the figure, the grey blob slowly focuses, it's edges becoming sharper and features clearer.  
 _ **"Hello again, Allen."**_

—

 **THE NEXT DAY.**

"You can't be serious." Lavi slams his head onto the table between them, barely missing his afternoon snack. "The fourteenth? You're sure?"

"He's a little hard to miss." Allen sighs. "And he prefers 'Neah'."  
"Fine, Neah, then." Lavi looks up at Allen. "Did he say anything?"  
"Hm? No." Allen shakes his head. "He just said hello."  
"Weird." Lavi sighs. "Whatever, just say if he tries anything."

" _ **I won't. But thanks for your concern."**_  
"Now you're talking?" Allen mutters, catching Lavi's attention.  
"What?"  
Allen points to his head grumpily.  
"Oh." Lavi leans back in his chair. "What'd he say?"  
"That he won't try anything." Allen shrugs. "But he's glad you still care."  
"Why wouldn't I?" Lavi says.  
"He hasn't caused any problems." Allen explains. "Well, not since the first time."  
 _ **"It's boring. I prefer action. School isn't action."**_

"Deal with it." Allen mutters, taking a bite of his sandwich. "We're actually trying not to get any 'action'."  
 _ **"**_ _ **Whatever.**_ _ **"**_

—

Neah let's out a deep sigh as he watches the two red-heads eat. Being stuck here was too boring for his taste.

" _Allen probably doesn't think I have a taste."_

Neah sighs, flopping onto his back. Out of everything Allen's mind has, it doesn't have any actual furniture. Meaning no beds.

"This sucks." Neah says out loud, aware that Allen can hear him.

" _ **Deal with it."**_

"Yeah, yeah." Neah rolls onto his stomach, ready to pseudo-sleep. "I know."

—

Mak skips happily through the black corridors, ignoring the watching Akuma. They don't matter.  
"Millenie!" Mak bursts into a room, waving Lero in the air.  
"Road~?" A man sits facing away from her as a fireplace burns under his gaze.

"Things are getting a little too quiet." Mak pouts. "I need some entertainment."  
"I so glad you feel that way~." The man grins, glancing over at the girl. "How about we start with that school of yours?"  
"Really!?" Mak grins excitedly. "Oh, I can't wait to see their faces!"  
"I'm glad you're having fun."  
"I will! Definitely!" Mak heads back to the door, skipping twice as high.  
"Take care." The man waves as she leaves, the door slamming behind her. "Let's see how this plays out, exorcists~."

—

 **THE NEXT DAY.**

Lenalee lets out a deep sigh, trailing behind Kanda as they walk.

"What is it now?" Kanda turns to glare at her.  
"…" Lenalee shakes her head, quickening her pace.  
"Is it about the other exorcists again?" Kanda glances at her.  
"…Yeah."  
"We've been over this." Kanda sighs. "There's no way for us to know how they're doing. We should just look after ourselves."  
"I…I got it." Lenalee nods. "It still bugs me, though."  
"Then think about something else." Kanda huffs.  
"Hm…" Lenalee hums thoughtfully. "School Open Day is next week."  
"Is it?" Kanda sighs. "Dammit."  
"You never help." Lenalee scolds. "Maybe you'd enjoy it more if you did."  
"Nobody wants my help." Kanda points out.

"I'm sure there's something for you to do." Lenalee grins. "I'll find you something."  
"If you want." Kanda shrugs, knowing better than to try to discourage her.  
"Alright." Lenalee pulls out her phone excitedly. "I wonder who…"

—

 **ONE WEEK LATER.**

" _ **That's wrong."**_  
"Is it?" Allen glares at the history worksheet in front of him.  
 _ **"That was in 1354 not 1345."  
**_ "I was close." Allen mutters, scribbling out his answer.

" _ **It's still wrong."**_

"Whatever." Allen tries to keep his voice down, even in the bustling classroom. He hasn't quite gotten the hang of talking to Neah mentally.  
 _ **"**_ _ **Isn**_ _ **'**_ _ **t this technically cheating?**_ _ **"**_

"What makes you say that?" Allen writes another answer.

" _ **You're supposed to know these things yourself."**_

"Since you're 'me' you can always tell me when I need to know." Allen shrugs. "It's not like I really need to know this anyway."

 _ **Ring Ring**_

" _ **Hey. The bell's gone."**_

"Just give me a minute. I'm almost done..."

" _ **Ugh."**_

—

Allen sighs as he sits by the tall fence. Barely anyone sits outside, so it's nice to have some time alone.

 _ **"**_ _ **I didn**_ _ **'**_ _ **t realise you liked sitting by a busy road. It**_ _ **'**_ _ **s way too loud.**_ _ **"**_

"It's better than inside." Allen says.

" _ **Fair enough."**_

"I wonder how Lenalee and Kanda are going." Allen wonders, taking another bite.

" _ **They've got some school open night today."**_

"That's today?"

" _ **Yup."**_

"Great." Allen pulls out his phone.  
 _ **"**_ _ **What**_ _ **'**_ _ **re you doing?**_ _ **"**_

"I need to remind Lavi. We promised Lenalee we'd go after school."  
 _ **"**_ _ **He probably remembered himself. He**_ _ **'**_ _ **s an ex-bookman.**_ _ **"**_

"I'll text him anyway."  
 _ **"**_ _ **Meh. It**_ _ **'**_ _ **s you**_ _ **'**_ _ **re phone.**_ _ **"  
**_ "Damn right it is."

—

 **THAT AFTERNOON.**

"We'll be over in just a minute." Allen smiles into his phone.

" _Don_ _'_ _t be long!_ " Lenalee's cheery voice answers. " _I think Kanda_ _'_ _s trying to escape._ "  
"Don't worry, Lena-lady!" Lavi grabs the phone off Allen. "Back up is on it's way."  
"Hey!" Allen snatches his phone back, bringing it to his ear. "We'll see you soon, Lenalee."  
" _See you!_ "

—

"Kanda!" Lenalee grabs Kanda's arm. "You are _not leaving_!"  
"Why not?" Kanda glares at her. "I'm done helping."  
"This is your last Open day before you leave school!" Lenalee says. "You have to be here."  
"I'll still be dragged her every year, thanks to you." Kanda points out. "I'll take my freedom while I can."  
"What a party pooper." Mak appears on Lenalee's right, smirking at Kanda. "We don't need you to have fun."

"Then go." Kanda turns to leave.

"We're here!" Lavi slams the door open, stepping into the decorated classroom.  
"Mei!" Allen steps in after him, waving at Lenalee.  
"Great." Kanda grumbles as Lenalee rushes forward.  
"You're here!"  
"Of course." Lavi puffs out his chest. "A promise is a promise."

—

The four aimlessly wander around the school, letting Lenalee lead.

"And these are the new gardens!" Lenalee points to the small greenhouse proudly. "I helped with this one."  
"These look great!" Allen grins, looking around at the colourful flowers.  
"It's the perfect climate in there." Lenalee explains. "That's why it's barely opened."

"Fair enough."

The four approach the school hall, a separate building decorated with sandstone carvings and blossoming trees.  
"This school is great!" Lavi declares. "Our school sucks."  
"I agree." Allen sighs. "This place is way better."  
"How about we transfer here?" Lavi grins. "You'd get to see us every day, Yuu."  
"Don't even think about it." Kanda growls.  
"Why not?" Lavi smirks. "Don't you like hanging out with me?"  
"No."  
"Yuu, you wound me!"  
"I'm leaving."

Kanda stalks off, heading back towards the main building.  
"Oops." Lavi grins sheepishly. "I scared him off."  
"I don't think 'scared' is the word to use, Lavi." Allen pats him on the back.

Lenalee sighs before looking up at Lavi and Allen. "Let's just continue."

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

Kanda glares at the students walking by, daring any to come closer. The familiar oak tree hangs above him, casting a dark shadow across the ground.

After a little while, the crowds seems to disperse, leaving Kanda in a relative silence.

As he leans back, closing his eyes, he hears a familiar voice calling to him…

"Hey! Nosey kid!"

Kanda sits bolt upright, staring as Katherine runs towards him..  
"Katherine?" Kanda stands, letting the exorcist come to him.

"Kid." Katherine takes deep breathes, clearly exhausted. "What are you doing here!?"  
"What?" Kanda looks at her, confused.  
"D-Didn't you see!?" Katherine looks at him like he's crazy. "Or hear it!?"  
"What are you talking about?" Kanda asks. "Nothing-"

"Katherine!" Keith Larr runs over, looking equally exhausted.

"Keith." Katherine glances over at the other exorcist. "Help me with this kid."  
"Kid?" Keith looks up at Kanda. "Why are you still here?"  
"What's going on?" Kanda demands. "Why are you here?"  
"Can't you see!?" Katherine cries. "There-"

"What?" Kanda watches Katherine stare up at the sky incredulously.  
"Y-You can't see them." Katherine's eyes widen.  
"That makes no sense." Keith mutters, also watching the sky. "They were there just a second ago."

 _ **He he he he he he he he**_

"What the hell!?" Katherine swears looking around them. "Who said that!?"

 _ **It's me, of course. I hope you didn't miss me too much, exorcists.**_

"Do you recognise it!?" Katherine turns to Keith, who looks equally lost.  
"No…"

 _ **It seems like you don't. How mean.**_

" _That sounds like…"_ Kanda scowls. _"…Road."_

"Who are you!?" Katherine shouts to the sky. "Where are you!?"

 _ **I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Road. Well, that**_ _ **'**_ _ **s what you**_ _ **'**_ _ **d know me by, exorcists.**_

"Road?" Katherine looks confused as Kanda silently swears.

 _ **Well, how about we get started. It's no fun with you so far away. I'll be waiting on the school roof.**_

"The roof?" Keith looks towards the main building.  
"There's a stairway up." Kanda interjects. "To the platform up there."

 _ **I wouldn't take too long, though. Some of your friends are already here.**_

"Friends?" Katherine glares. "What's she on about?"  
 _"_ _Shit._ _"_ Kanda glances at the exorcists. " _If there aren_ _'_ _t more of them, then she must mean-_ _"_

"Kid, can you show us the way?" Katherine turns to Kanda.

"You can't be serious." Keith looks at Katherine. "He's a civilian."  
"Who knows how to get to the roof." Katherine adds. "Anyway, he doesn't mind. Right?"  
"Let's go." Kanda starts forward.  
"That's what I thought." Katherine hurries after him, winking at Keith.  
"…Fine." Keith sighs heading after them. "But you can explain this to the supervisor."

—

 **JUST BEFORE.**

"Mei!" Mak jumps onto Lenalee, almost knocking her friend over.  
"Mak?" Lenalee exclaims, regaining her balance.  
"You took to long." Mak pouts. "I got bored."  
"Ah, sorry." Lenalee apologises. "I should have watches the time."  
"Well, while you were wandering around…" Mak grins. "I found something cool."  
"What?" Lenalee asks.  
"I'll show you!" Mak grabs Lenalee's hand and starts to pull her forward.  
"Hey!" Lenalee exclaims. "What about them!?" She points to Lavi and Allen, who'd just been watching curiously.  
"Hmm…" Mak glances over at the two. "They can come too!"  
"Where exactly are we going?" Lavi wonders, heading after the two girls.  
"Why…" Mak smirks at him. "The roof, of course."

—

 **NOW.**

"In here." Kanda pushes open the door. "The stairs go straight up."  
"Thanks." Katherine nods to Kanda before rushing up.  
"Stay here." Keith turns to Kanda. "You're already-"  
"I'm not going anywhere." Kanda glares at the older man.

"You'll just get hurt!" Keith protests.  
"I'll deal with it." Kanda cross his arms stubbornly. "You should get going anyway."

—

Katherine slams the door open, ignoring the loud wrenching of metal.  
"Hello."  
Katherine stares at the teen sitting not too far away. She's wearing the school's uniform and looks completely normal, except for the fact that she's floating.  
"Who the hell are you?" Katherine demands, pointing her unactivated Innocence at the girl. She still isn't sure if she's human or not.  
"You're pretty dull, for an exorcist." Mak mutters. "But, human's are dull nonetheless."  
"You act like you aren't human." Katherine notes.  
"I never said I was." Mak grins, letting her south grow unnaturally wide, almost splitting her face in two. "The name is Road, human. The ninth disciple of the Noah."  
"N-Noah?" Katherine feels her blood run cold as the girl giggles loudly. Only Generals had ever even had a chance against a Noah…  
"Katherine!" Keith bursts through the door behind her.  
"Keith." Katherine shakes her head, regaining her composure. "This girl's a Noah."  
"Are you sure?" Keith stands next to her.  
"Pretty sure." Katherine nods.

—

Kanda slowly steps through the door, only to see Mak, Lenalee's friend, dodging the attacks of the two exorcists.  
 _"_ _Shit._ _"_ Kanda looks around for the others, immediately spotting them in the far corner, mostly shrouded in darkness.

He inches forward, glad that Road is too preoccupied to notice.  
"Oi." Kanda crouches down before the nearest one, Lenalee.  
Her eyes are closed and a thin trickle of blood streaks down her head.

Kanda looks over to Lavi and Allen, who are in similar situations. Except that the moyashi has his eyes wide open.  
"Moyashi." Kanda growls.  
Allen glances over at him, letting Kanda see the gold tint in his eyes. "Allen's not here right now." 'Allen' says. "I'm filling in."  
"Why're you here?" Kanda demands.  
"To make sure my _dear_ sister didn't try anything." Neah shrugs. "But she isn't aware who we are."  
"Are you sure?" Kanda asks, still suspicious.  
"She planned to lure you and Allen here, since you've met these exorcists." Neah gestures to Keith and Katherine. "She ended up with Miss Lee and Mr Ex-Bookman as well."  
"Good." Kanda mutters, turning back to Lenalee. "Is the moyashi close to waking?"  
"They all should be." Neah nods. "The blow was meant for a normal student. It won't last more than a few minutes."

As if on queue, Lenalee groans, putting a hand on her head.

"Oi." Kanda nudges her.  
"Kanda?" Lenalee shakes her head. "What happened?"  
"You're friend's a Noah, Miss Lee." Neah answers. "She knocked you out."  
"Neah?" Lenalee looks at him surprised.  
"Allen's still out." Neah explains. "Just for a few more-"

Kanda and Lenalee watch Allen's head slump for a spit second as the gold eyes fade to silver.  
"Ow…"  
"Allen." Lenalee smiles at her friend.  
"That was unpleasant." Allen groans.  
"Huh?" Lavi sits up, looking at the other three confusedly. "What's going on?"

—

Katherine angrily shoots at the Noah again, only for the girl to jump out the way.  
"You're no fun." Road decides, pouting. "This is boring."  
"Maybe for you." Katherine grits her teeth together, painfully aware of the her bleeding wounds. " _Who know candles hurt so much?_ "

"Time to die." Road grins evilly as a swarm of Akuma appear around her. "I hope at least _you_ have fun."

—

Once the Noah vanishes into darkness, Keith immediately spots the four teens in the corner. They're all conscious and all in danger.  
"Katherine!" Keith calls to his companion. "The kids!"  
Katherine's eyes widen as she spots the four. "Shit!"

—

Allen feels his eye sting as the Akuma appear around them.  
"Shit." Kanda swears.  
"Hehehe." An Akuma spots the group, floating over. "I found you!"  
"Hey!" Kanda turns to see the exorcists rushing towards them.

" _They won_ _'_ _t make it_." Kanda scowls.  
"Oi." He turns to the other three, who seem to have come to the same conclusion.  
"…Together?" Lenalee looks to the boys.

" _ **This is a bad idea-**_ _ **"**_  
"Together." Allen nods.  
"Together." Lavi grins.  
"Fine. Together." Kanda scowls.

* * *

INNOCENCE, ACTIVATE!

* * *

 **:O**

 **Are you all ready for this?  
**

 **Because I am not.  
Thanks for reading, I'll see you all soon!  
-Cheese Wizzard**


	8. Chapter 8

**This took a little longer than usual, and I'm sorry.  
This chap took a few tries to write, and I didn't want to give you something half-assed.  
Thanks for your support and I hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

 **ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 15**

 **KANDA 18**

—

Bailey just wanted one day of peace. Just one. Is that too much to ask?  
Apparently it is.

Supervisor Bailey heads into the Innocence chamber, hoping to chat with the ageing Hevlaska.  
Except that, the moment he enters, four shards of Innocence whizz past him, out the door and out of sight.  
"Good evening, Supervisor." Hevlaska greets through the door, bending her head down to see him.  
"Hevlaska?" Bailey heads over, stunned and knowing better than to pursue the Innocence. "What happened?"  
"There are some new exorcists." Hevlaska grins before whispering to herself. "Technically, some old ones."  
"…I don't get it." Bailey sighs.

"You'll find out soon." Hevlaska's grin widens. "For now, you should check on Keith and Katherine."  
"Hm? Why?" Bailey looks at her curiously.

"They'll need some support once they're done."

—

Allen feels a comforting jolt of energy as four green lights blaze through the sky.

As the stones plummet downwards, an eerie green glow shrouds the four teens.

"What the-" The Akuma is forcibly pushed backwards by an expanding aura of light.

Sparks of electricity run through the air, paralysing the other enemies.

Keith looks down to see his blade pulsing with the same light, reenergised and impatient.

Katherine stares as her gun shudders in excitement, quivering in anticipation.

"What's going on?" Katherine turns to look at Keith. "This is getting way weird."  
"…I don't know." Keith looks back up at the teens, who are sitting calmly as their stare at these sky.  
"Something's coming." Katherine spots a bright light speeding across the darkening sky. "What is it?"  
"I think we'll find out soon."

—

The Innocence hits like lightning, a blinding flash tearing through the Akuma and stunning the two exorcists.

Allen watches the gem shatter into pieces before collecting around his arm, turning the red skin black. A white cloth wraps tightly around Allen, a single ribbon rising to his wounded forehead, covering the wound carefully.

Lavi grins as the stone hovers in front of him. It melts to a black liquid, pooling around Lavi's right forearm in a large bangle. The metal shines in the moonlight as the form of a snake carves itself onto the surface, complete with a single bright green eye.

Kanda watches his Innocence fall into liquid, dropping into his hands. With a relieved and annoyed sigh, Kanda swallows it in one gulp. Twin black crosses appear in his wrists, little blood is drawn as the familiar pain is swiftly ignored by the accommodator.

Lenalee smiles gratefully as the green jewel liquifies around her ankles, slitting them slightly and forming the rings of blood. She barely feels the pain as a renewed surge of power and adrenaline wash through her.

—

"Holy shit." Katherine watches the teens accept the glaringly obvious Innocence shards. "They're fucking accommodators."  
"…Hm." Keith hums as he watches the raging Akuma rush forward, screaming bloody murder.

—

"Tch. They look the same." Kanda glances at the two crosses.

"It's probably a sign." Lavi grins.  
"I've missed my Dark Boots." Lenalee sighs. "Nothing else seemed quite right."  
"Me too." Allen smiles. "Though, I'm worried about that 'sign' bit."  
"We'll figure it out later." Lavi dismisses. "I think we have more pressing problems."  
"I got it." Kanda stands as their protective bubble dissipates. Green light fades as the oldest exorcist steps forward.

"Mugen…" Kanda commands, holding out his wrists. "Unsheathe."

—

"Those are some scary swords." Katherine whistles, staring at Kanda's twin katana.

A harsh blue-green light emits from the blades as he glares at the nearest Akuma.

"First Illusion." Kanda closes his eyes, knowing that he wouldn't miss. "Netherworld Insects."

Keith tries not to flinch as the demonic 'insects' charge forward. Their shrill cries echo through the air as the insects slam through the Akuma, slicing them to pieces.  
"Nice." Katherine smirks.

"You'd think so, wouldn't you." Keith sighs.  
"I gotta respect a guy with style."

—

"Hey! Bakanda!"  
Kanda turns to glare at the youngest teen. "What!?"  
"You missed one!" Allen grins, pointing directly upwards.  
Kanda looks up, but can't see anything there, just a dark blue sky. He usually would get angry at the sprout for messing with him, but his eye is still glowing red.

"What level?" Kanda growls.  
"Two." Allen shrugs.  
"Oh!" Lavi jumps up. "I'll get it!"  
"Are you sure?" Allen looks at Lavi humorously.  
"You think I can't?" Lavi responds defensively. "Has it moved?"  
"…No." Allen grins.  
"Good."

—

"I think he's going to do something." Katherine nudges the man next to her.  
"I'm aware."

—

"Little Hammer, Big Hammer…" Lavi holds out his right arm. "Grow, grow, grow!"  
Lavi grins at his weapon bursts into a giant hammer, a leather grip sitting firmly in his palm.  
"Fire Stamp! Hellfire and Ash!"  
The hammer slams into the ground at his feet, ignoring both Lenalee and Allen nearby."

—

"Are they okay!?" Keith stares as a pillar of fire forms over the three.

Kanda watches from afar, seemingly unconcerned.

A distorted scream sounds for a second before the figure of an Akuma dissolves as a silhouette.

As the flames die down, the three exorcists appear again, looking far too happy.

"I think that was a little big." Allen grins.  
"It did the job, didn't it?" Lavi grins back as Allen's eye slowly deactivates.

"Okay, hold the fucking phone."  
The four turn to see Katherine stalking over with Keith by her side.

"What is going on!?" Katherine glares at the teens, more pointedly at Kanda. "Did you already know about this!?"  
Kanda shrugs, turning away from her.  
"Oi, that's not nice." Allen scolds. "Be more sociable, Baka-Akai."

"Shut it." Kanda growls.  
"Ugh." Katherine groans. "This is going nowhere."

 _ **buzz**_

 _ **buzz**_

 _ **buzz**_

 _ **bu-**_

"Yes?" Keith pulls a small, silver golem from his coat as it flutters wildly.  
" _K-Keith!? Are you there!?_ "  
"Bailey? Yes. I'm here." Keith calmly replies, aware of the group's eyes on him.

" _Oh, that_ _'_ _s good._ " A sigh is heard on the other end.

"Has something happened?"  
" _No? Uh, yes actually._ "

"Spit it out, Lexer." Katherine interjects.

"Who are you talking to?" Allen wonders, looking at the new golem curiously.

"Supervisor Lexer Bailey." Katherine glances over at him. "Our boss."  
" _Four pieces of Innocence ran off a little while ago. Hevlaska thinks they landed near you._ "

"Oh, don't worry." Katherine calls into the golem. "We got 'em."

" _That_ _'_ _s great! Can you bring them back to Headquarters?_ "

"I think that might be a problem." Keith sighs, rubbing his forehead.  
" _Hm? Why?_ "

"They've found accommodators, Bailey."

" _Are you serious!? It_ _'_ _s been five minutes!_ _"_

"Yeah, sorry."  
" _Then_ _…_ _I_ _'_ _ll send some help over, can I have a chat with them?_ "  
"Uh…" Keith glances over to the teens.

"Meh." Lavi shrugs. "I don't mind."  
"Here."

Keith passes the spherical golem to Lavi, it's wings retreating into it's body.  
"Cool." Lavi grins at the orb.

" _Uh, hello?_ "  
"Oh, hey." Lavi speaks. "You must be the Supervisor."  
" _Uh, yes. Call me Bailey._ "

"Did you need something?" Lavi watches the golem carefully.  
" _I just wanted to get an idea of our new exorcists._ "  
"Oh?" Lavi raises an eyebrow.  
" _Just_ _…_ _ugh_ _…_ _give me a-_ "

The sound cuts out suddenly, along with a loud wave of static.  
Lavi considers returning the golem, only for a slit to open at it's top. A small tube rises upwards, it's tip covered in glass, and starts to glow in a white light.

A middle aged man with sandy blond hair appears in front of Lavi, causing the teen to drop the golem in surprise.  
"What the-"

The golem releases it wings and flaps behind the hologram.

—

Lavi stares at the man, who looks disconcertingly real for a torso, as he fiddles with something offscreen.  
" _Uh, hello._ " The man assumed to be Lexer Bailey smiles at Lavi.  
"…Hey." Lavi gives the man a wave, unconsciously memorising every aspect of his appearance.

His hair is dusted with grey, even as a young man, and his eyes are a deep green. His skin is slightly tanned and pale freckles speckle his cheeks.

He's in a familiar uniform, white and blue, with various buttons and bags across the white spaces.

" _Uh, Katherine? Keith?_ " Bailey tries to look around for the two older exorcists, who move into frame.  
"We're right here." Katherine crosses her arms. "Get on with it, Lexer."  
" _Thank you, Katherine._ " Bailey looks over to the teens and his smiles drops.  
"Is something wrong?" Lavi looks at the Supervisor cautiously.  
" _…_ _How old are you?_ " Bailey looks genuinely concerned, something that slightly surprises Lavi.  
"Uh, I'm seventeen." Lavi points to himself.  
"I'm fifteen." Lenalee steps forward slightly, giving Bailey a wave.  
"Uh, he's eighteen." Lavi points to Kanda, who's hiding in the shadows behind them.  
"…I'm thirteen." Allen lets out a sigh, glancing up at Bailey.  
" _…_ "  
"Bailey? You still there?" Katherine waves a hand in front of the man's face.

" _Yeah_ _…_ _I_ _'_ _m here._ " Bailey shakes his head. " _R-Right, new exorcists_ _…_ "  
"We'll try and take care of this, Bailey." Keith says. "We might need some back-up, for…you know."

" _Hm? Oh, yeah._ " Bailey nods. " _Do you have any preferences?_ "

Keith glances over to Allen for a second before looking back at Bailey.

"Can I get Asher down here?"

" _Asher? Yeah, just a second._ _"_ Bailey turns around, likely to the people behind him. " _Asher!_ "

" _What!?_ " The red-haired woman comes into frame, clothes and face slightly tinged with ash.  
" _You_ _'_ _re doing Exorcist Cleanup._ " Bailey looks over at her.

" _We_ _'_ _re getting a new one?_ " Asher ignores the assembles exorcists, instead solely facing Bailey.

" _Four, actually._ " Bailey sighs. _  
_" _You can_ _'_ _t be serious._ "

"We are." Katherine grins through the hologram, getting Asher's attention.  
" _Kathy?_ " Asher grins. " _You alright?_ "  
"Fine." Katherine shrugs. "But Keith says we need your help."  
" _Give me ten minutes._ " Asher nods and rushes out of frame, leaving Bailey to call after her.

" _You don_ _'_ _t even know where they are-_ "

—

" _I didn_ _'_ _t catch your names._ " Bailey looks back at the teens.  
"Oh, I'm Jonathan Myers." Lavi introduces himself before gesturing to his friends in turn. "This is Akai Fukui, Mei Myong, and Ray Martin."

" _Thank you._ " Bailey smiles gratefully. " _I_ _'_ _ll_ _…_ _see you all soon._ "

—

"What now?" Lavi glances over at Katherine, smile fading to nothing, knowing full well what happens next.  
"You'll be joining the Order." Katherine starts before scowling. "We'll…have to talk to your families."  
Lavi's nods solemnly. "I thought so."  
"Exorcist Cleanup." Lenalee echoes. "That's what that was."  
"…I'm sorry." Katherine looks genuinely upset. "I really am."  
"Whatever." Kanda growls. "Let's get this over with."

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

Katherine grins as she watches Asher pull up in an all-black car.

She quickly jumps out, followed by Jefferson.

"Kathy!" Asher jumps onto the blond exorcist.  
"Ash, get off of me!" Katherine grins before turning serious. "This is important."  
"Why am I here anyway?" Asher looks at Katherine curiously. "This isn't really my area of expertise…"  
Asher trails off as she spots the four teens and Keith a little ways away.

"Oh."  
"Yeah…" Katherine sighs loudly.  
"Be right back." Asher starts forward. "Just give me a minute."

"This is nuts." Jefferson sighs, glancing over at Katherine.  
"You said it."

—

"Hey there."  
Allen looks up at Keith, who's smiling nervously.  
"Keith." Allen greets. "Hi again."  
"I wish we could have met under different circumstances." Keith laughs, crouching down.  
"Me too." Allen agrees.  
"I'm just checking…" Keith shuffles uncomfortably. "That you know what happens next."  
Allen nods, not meeting Keith's eyes. "I'm going to go home, pack my things and let you take me away forever." Allen does little to hide is distaste, even if it's poorly directed.  
Keith flinches, looking away from Allen. "I'm sorry it has to be this way."  
"Yeah…" Allen nods. "Me too."

"Hey!" Asher appears beside the two, slightly shocking Keith.  
"Asher." Keith sighs with relief. "You're here."  
"You bet." She grins at Keith before looking down at Allen. "Hey, kid."  
"Hey, Asher." Allen lets a small smiles creep onto his face.  
"You doing alright?" Asher smiles.  
"Fine." Allen shrugs.  
"Mm." Asher nods. "How's your arm doing?"  
"It's fine." Allen smiles a little wider. "I don't think it'll be a problem anymore."  
"Oh?" Asher raises an eyebrow, glancing over at Keith.  
"His Innocence." Keith explains.  
"Oh, well that is a handy solution." Asher grins, hiding her discomfort.  
"Are you here to see my parents?" Allen asks, trying to be casual.  
"Oh, yeah." Asher nods. "Just to clear some things up."  
"Okay."

"Hey, Ray!" Lavi grabs Allen's arm. "Whatcha talking about?"  
"Nothing." Allen glares at Lavi, trying to free his arm.  
"You're Jonathan, yeah?" Asher grins at the newcomer.  
"That's right." Lavi nods at the woman. "Call me Jon, though."  
"Okay, Jon." Asher nods back. "Are you two friends?"  
"Since forever." Lavi grins widely.  
"Since I was seven." Allen clarifies.

"Well, I'm glad you've got such good friends." Asher grins at Lavi.  
"You haven't even met Akai and Mei yet." Lavi turns to the two. "Hey!"

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"Kid, you're first." Katherine looks at Akai. "You ready?"  
"Of course." Kanda scoffs. "Let's just do this."

"Hmm." Lenalee grab's Kanda's arm softly.  
Kanda almost pulls away, but he doesn't. Secretly, he's glad for the comfort. This never got easier.

—

 **TWENTY MINUTES LATER.**

Katherine knocks on the door strongly as the group wait a little way away.  
"Are you sure you can do this alone?" Asher looks at Katherine, worried.  
"I got this." Katherine nods.  
"Ugh." Kanda scowls at the lack of a reply and knocks again, this time more urgently.

"Hello?" A tired looking Noriko answers the door. "Akai? You're late."  
"Hmph." Kanda doesn't look at her.  
"Is-Is something wrong?" Noriko looks to Katherine. "Who are you?"  
"Ma'am, my name is Katherine Dargon." Katherine introduces. "I work for the Black Order."  
"…Oh." Noriko slumps slightly with a resigned expression. "Would you like to come inside?"  
Katherine nods. "I think that would be best."

—

"Itsuki? Dear?" Noriko moves into the living room, Kanda and Katherine close behind.  
"Noriko? Who was at the door?" Itsuki moves forward, spotting his son and the exorcist.  
"This lady is from the Black Order." Noriko tiredly explains. "She needs to speak to us."  
"…I see." Itsuki glances over at Kanda worriedly. "Let's sit down first."

The four pull up chairs in the living room, even Kanda was coaxed into sitting between Itsuki and Katherine.

Both of Kanda's take the news rather well, in Katherine's opinion. They seem so tired and drained that they have little energy to react. They don't ask many questions, in fact, they don't seem too surprised by the news, like they'd been expecting it.

It doesn't take long for Kanda to collect his things. Katherine is almost suspicious. It's almost like he was already packed to go.

—

"How did it go?" Lenalee steps forward immediately as the pair exit the house.  
"Fine." Kanda shrugs. "Let's keep going."  
"Kathy?" Asher looks at the exorcist curiously. "How was it?"  
"Weird." Katherine shakes her head. "I'll tell you later.

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"Here we are." Lenalee steps towards her house hesitantly.  
"Everything will be fine." Jefferson puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Would you like one of your friends to come too?"  
Lenalee cautiously looks over to Kanda, who's still scowling.  
"Alright." He nods, stepping forward. "I'll come too."  
"Good." Jefferson smiles as he moves to the door. "Get ready."

—

"M-Mei?" Nari's eyes grow fearful as she stares at her daughter. "T-There must be some kind of mistake-"

"I'm truly sorry." Jefferson tries to console the panicking woman.  
"No! You can't take her!" Nari screams, reaching for Lenalee.  
"Nari." Seok takes her arm, pulling her towards him. "Relax."  
"I can't!" Nari sobs loudly. "Please, I can't…"  
"M-Mom…" Lenalee feels tears streak down her cheeks. "It-It's okay, really. Everything will be fine."  
"I…I can't bear not seeing you again." Nari pulls Lenalee into a tight hug.  
"I think…that I will see you again." Lenalee whispers, glad for Jefferson's distance. "No matter what."

—

"Mei." Kanda reaches for the girl. "We have to go."  
Jefferson looks gratefully at the boy, not wanting to voice the time constraints.  
"R-Right." Lenalee steps back from her mother. "Goodbye, mom, dad."  
"Good luck, Mei." Seok smiles sadly at his daughter. "Don't forget us."  
Nari takes a deep breath, leaving a kiss on Lenalee's forehead. "Goodbye, my beautiful child."

—

"You've got too much stuff." Kanda decides, watching Lenalee try to pack everything.  
"I do not." Lenalee zips up a backpack. "You just don't have enough."  
"How's everything coming along?" Jefferson sticks his head through the door.  
"This is taking too long." Kanda huffs.  
"Then, may I lend a hand?" Jefferson picks up an empty bag. "Six hands are better and four."

—

 **TWENTY MINUTES LATER.**

"Did you get everything?" Katherine watches Jefferson and the teens exit.  
"Yes." Jefferson nods. "How about we continue?"  
—

 **TWENTY MINUTES LATER.**

"Jon?" Allen watches Lavi curiously. "You okay?"  
"Yeah…" Lavi lets out a loud sigh. "This is going to be one explanation."  
"Do you have any siblings Jon?" Keith looks over at Lavi.  
"Yeah. A step sister." Lavi nods. "She just turned ten."

—

"Do you want me to come?" Allen offers as Lavi gets out of the car.  
"Nah, I'm fine." Lavi grins. "See you in a bit."

—

"Mom?" Lavi pushes the door open, not bothering to knock.

"Jon?!" A voice calls back, Keith assumes it to be the father.  
"George?" Jon heads into the kitchen. "Where's mom?"  
"She's upstairs."  
Keith spots a man shoving dishes in a dishwasher. He's tall and bald with sunburnt skin and dirty overalls.  
"Who's this?" He looks at Keith suspiciously.  
"Oh, right." Lavi looks over at Keith as well. "You do your thing while I get mom."

—

Keith wasn't happy about being left with the man, George, but he supposes he should wait for Jon's mother.  
"Jon?" A young girl comes in through another entrance, wearing a pale pink nightgown and her brown hair pulled into pigtails.  
"He went to get mom." The man smiles fondly at the girl. "He'll be back in a minute, pumpkin."

—

"Mom?" Lavi pushes her bedroom door open.  
"Jon?"  
Lavi spots the woman sitting at her desk, a laptop shining brightly through the dark room.

"Mom, we need to talk."  
"About what? Dear…" Deborah stands,heading over.  
"Downstairs." Lavi adds. "There's someone here."

—

"Keith?" Lavi calls into the empty kitchen.  
"Here!" Mia's voice calls back from the living room.  
"Mia?" Deborah heads through the kitchen and towards the sound of her daughter.

Lavi follows silently, a sickening anticipation swelling in his stomach.

—

"My name is Keith Larr." Keith introduces. "I'm employed by the Black Order."  
"The Order?" George's gaze hardens. "What do you want?"  
"This evening, my colleague and I discovered that your son-" Keith gestures to Lavi. "Has the capacity of an exorcist."  
"You want to turn him into a soldier." George growls. Some fighting machine."  
"You misunderstand." Keith tries. "We're in the middle of the war. His contributions could save hundreds of lives. We're running short on exorcists as it is."  
"Because they keep on dying." George glares at Keith. "You keep killing them."  
"Believe me, there's nothing I want less than for any exorcist to perish." Keith sighs.

"He's an exorcist himself, George." Lavi adds.  
"Hmph."  
"What…What's going to happen to you?" Deborah looks desperately at Lavi.  
"Exorcists are not permitted to contact their families." Keith sadly explains. "They are forbidden even to see their families or loved ones ever again."

"This is bullshit!" George exclaims, even as Mia squeals. "Deb, you can't let this-"  
"Jon?" Deborah speaks to Lavi. "What is it that you want?"

"What…do I want?" Lavi echoes, confused.  
"It's your life." Deborah says. "I want to know how you feel."  
"…This is important." Lavi nods. "I want to help people, save people. I can't let this world go to shit. I want to help."  
"Good." Deborah smiles weakly. "Then, go."  
"You can't be serious!" George storms out of the room, obviously angered.

"J-Jon?" Mia looks at her step-brother. "Are you leaving?"

Lavi heads over to the young girl, taking her in his arms.  
"Yeah, I'm going away for a while."  
"W-Will I ever see you again?"  
"I think you will." Lavi grins, holding his pinky out to the girl. "I'll come back, no matter what anyone says, but you have to keep it a secret, okay?"

"…Alright." Mia wraps her pinky around his, wiping tears away from her eyes. "I promise."  
"Me too." Lavi pats her head with his free hand. "Be good."

—

 **HALF AN HOUR LATER.**

"Ray?" Lavi holds Allen's hand firmly.  
"Ben's gonna kill me." Allen mutters. "I can't do this."  
"It's okay, I'll do the talking." Asher reassures. "Jon, are you coming too?"  
"Yes." Allen answers immediately.  
"Yes." Lavi echoes. "I'm coming too."

—

"Ray? You're late." Ben's the one who answers the door, pushing it open as he calls.  
"Ben?"  
Ben looks up to see Jon and a brightly coloured woman standing next to his brother.  
"Jon? Why're you here?" Ben looks at the trio curiously.  
"There's…something important we need to talk about." Lavi explains. "Can you go get your parents?"

—

"E-Exorcists?" Chelsea mutters quietly to herself.  
"Ray!?" Ben stares at his brother, who's sitting across from them.  
"…I'm sorry, Ben." Allen tries to keep his voice even.  
"So, we can't see him again?" Michael gapes at Asher. "Even if he…"  
"Especially if he were to die." Asher finishes. "I'm sorry, but it's the only way to limit Akuma production-"

"This isn't fair!" Ben interjects.  
"Ben, calm down." Chelsea takes her eldest son's hand.

"B-But…" Ben swallows a sob, instead, sitting silently next to his mother.  
"Mom?" Allen looks to her cautiously.  
"I-I wish you luck, Ray." She smiles weakly at him. "Really, I do."

"Mom-"

"B-Be as safe as you can…and-and…"  
"Chelsea." Michael takes her free hand.  
"…" Allen squeezes Lavi's hand, looking away from his family. "I'm going to get my things."

—

"Are you sure you want to leave it at that?" Lavi watches Allen throw his things into a suitcase.  
"…It's probably better." Allen shrugs. "I…I don't want them to worry."  
"They're supposed to worry, they're your family." Lavi adds.  
"…I know." Allen throws a backpack over his shoulder. "I…it doesn't seem fair to them."  
"How so?" Lavi takes a set on Allen's bed.  
"It's…This is my ninth life. My ninth family." Allen sits next to Lavi. "But this is _their_ life. I should try to make it better for them."  
"I don't think leaving it like this is better, Al." Lavi slings an arm over Allen's shoulder, pulling him close. "Try an give them some closure."  
"I…don't think I can." Allen can't help his eyes from heating up and starting to water.  
"Of course you can." Lavi grins. "You've done so many things most people could never imagine doing. I _know_ that you can do this."  
"But, what should I say!?" Allen looks at Lavi desperately.  
"Tell them that you'll come back." Lavi advises. "Tell them that you'll be okay. Tell them everything's going to be okay."  
"…What if I don't see them again?"  
"That's not the point."  
"What is the point?"  
"Hope, Al. It's one of the strongest things you can feel. Give them hope."

—

"Mom?" Allen hesitantly enters the living room, where his family is sitting in silence.  
"Ray?" She looks up at him, eyes red from crying. "I thought you'd left."  
"I…" Allen tries not to look uncomfortable. "Everyone's waiting outside."

A dull silence lies over the four, but it's far more peaceful.  
"I'll…I'll definitely be back." Allen announces. "No matter what."  
"Ray…" Ben looks up at Allen. "They said-"

"I don't care." Allen interjects. "I mean it. No matter what."

"…Thank you, Ray." Michael smiles at his son.  
"I don't know how or when…but I'll be back one day."

"I know you will." Ben grins, suddenly filled with confidence. "I know that I'll wait for you."  
"Ray." Chelsea wraps her son in a tight hug. "Thank you."

* * *

 **Alright, please say if there's any spelling mistakes or anything you need clarified!  
** ೕ(˃̵ᴗ˂̵ ๑)

 **Thanks again!  
**

 **-Cheese Wizzard** (´▽｀)ノ


	9. Chapter 9

**u all ready?  
don't worry this one isn't sad. :P**

* * *

 **ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 15**

 **KANDA 18**

—

"It looks the same." Lavi whispers to Allen.  
"Of course it does." Allen grins.

A shining white gate floats in front of them, made from shattered pieces of white light.

A dim lamp shines in the corner of the small room, it's light barely visible. Red wallpaper stretches across the walls, covered in metal and wooden crosses.  
Allen doesn't know how to feel about this place. The last time he was in a church, it didn't end to well…

 _ **A searing heat washes through the air as the walls crumple around him.**_

 _ **The glowing gem sits safely in his hand, it shudders in anticipation as the roof starts to collapse.**_

" _ **It's okay."  
"You're safe now."**_

 _ **A beam hits too hard, it's screaming embers slamming into his flesh.**_ _ **  
**_ _ **It hurts.**_

"You get all that?" Katherine glances down at Allen, who's eyes have turned unfocused.  
"Yeah, you ready?" Lavi jabs the younger teen, snapping him out of his daze.  
"Oh, yeah." Allen nods and Katherine just huffs.  
"Well, get in."

"What did she say?" Allen whispers to Lavi as they approach the gate.  
"Just about what the Ark is." Lavi whispers back. "Nothing new."  
"Good." Allen lets out a breath.  
"Get going." Katherine orders, pushing Lenalee forward. "It's already late.

—

"Awesome." Lavi stretches his arms as he walks further into the white cobbled streets.  
"It hasn't changed a bit." Lenalee grins.  
"Alright." Katherine steps through. "Headquarters should be…this way."  
"Why are we taking the Ark anyway?" Lavi wonders out loud.  
"The car was too full with your things." Katherine shrugs. "It would take longer to send another one."

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"Here, Katherine." Keith calls the group over, pointing to the doorway. A small metal sign hangs next to it, clearly reading 'Headquarters, London'.

The door itself is also made with metal bands across it. Small, coloured post-it notes are stuck on and around the door, with equations, notes and reminders written on them.

"Ugh." Katherine flicks some of the notes off the door handle as she pushes it open. "They need to stop doing that."

—

Bailey tries to stifle a yawn as he checks his watch. It's almost eleven.

He stands in a large room, it's roof shaped like a dome, with metal plates across all the walls. Desks and various machines lie across the space, posters and whiteboards almost completely obscure the lower walls while large windows cover the dome above.

Bright fluorescent lights shine down, the stark white light reflecting almost harshly over the metal.

Then, the Ark gate pulses slightly and Katherine steps out.

"Lexer." Katherine grins tiredly. "We're back."  
"I'm glad you're alright." Bailey nods.  
"Hey, cool!" Lavi grins as he steps forward, Allen close behind.  
"You're too slow, Akai." Lenalee scolds, pulling Kanda through with minimal difficulty.  
"Bailey." Keith greets the supervisor as he appears. "Everything went as smoothly as it could."  
"That's a relief." Bailey smiles slightly. "This day's been stressful enough."

"You must be Supervisor Bailey." Lavi heads over to the man. "Nice to meet you, in person I mean."  
"You too." Bailey holds out his hand. "Jonathan Myers."

"New exorcists!" A round faced woman appears behind Bailey, grabbing his shoulders, her bright violet eyes sparkling.

"Uh, hey." Lavi grins at the woman. "I'm Jon."  
"My name's Grace Huxley!" Grace replies excitedly, her black bobbed hair bouncing as she moves. "It's so nice to see some new faces!"

"Huxley." A tight faced man appears behind her. "You're still on the job."  
"You!" Lavi immediately recognises the man, pointing a finger at him accusingly. "You were the scientist from two years ago!"  
"Excuse me?" The man sniffs, looking at Lavi with disapproval.  
"You came to our school, I'm Jonathan Myers." Lavi points to himself. "We were talking when that Akuma attacked Bridgen."  
"Oh." The man looks at Lavi with distaste. "You were _very_ uncooperative."  
"Meh." Lavi shrugs, a victorious grin plastered in his face.  
"Ibbot, these are the new exorcists." Bailey lets out a sigh, displeased by the man's presence.  
"Exorcists?" Ibbot looks at Lavi pointedly. "…I see."

—

After Grace was hurried off with Ibbot, Bailey dismisses Katherine and Keith, telling them to get some rest.  
"And…I think we can save the explanations for tomorrow." Bailey yawns. "If that's okay with you?"  
"Sure." Lavi grins. "I'm too tired to think."  
"Me too." Lenalee nods.  
"Well, I'll give you some temporary rooms." Bailey flicks through some papers in hand. "Just until we can organise everything tomorrow."

—

 **TWENTY MINUTES LATER.**

"See ya in the morning, Al." Lavi waves Allen goodbye as he disappears into his room.  
Allen's room is smaller than usual, being on the lowest floor. The walls are painted a deep violet and a large window streams moonlight into the room.  
He can see the ocean, reflecting the light back into the sky. Boats mill about, shining their own colourful lights into the water.

The moon is exceptionally bright tonight, it's large form rising above.

Allen closes the black curtains, completely shutting out the outside glow.  
Collapsing onto the bed, sleep comes almost instantly, letting Allen drift into a darkened abyss…

—

 **EIGHT HOURS LATER.**

"Hey!" Lavi slams Allen's door open, barely rousing the teen. "It's breakfast time!"  
At those words, Allen stirs sitting up groggily. "Breakfast?"

"Breakfast." Lavi grins. "Come on, sprout, or you won't be able to fill your giant gut."

—

The cafeteria looks the same as it always has. Tables and benches are neatly lines up across the hall, a high ceiling hangs lights down and large windows stream in the morning light.

Large openings on the right walls peer into the kitchens, where chefs line up to serve.

"Morning!" Asher intercepts the two as they enter.  
"Good morning, Asher." Allen grins at the woman.  
"Your friends are already over there." Asher gestures to a table in the farthest corner. "I think they're waiting for you."

"Thanks." Lavi says gratefully.  
"No problem." Asher shrugs. "Anyway, Bailey wants to see you once you're done eating."  
"Oh, okay." Allen nods.  
"I got to get back to work. I'll see you later." Asher waves as she leaves.

"Yo." Lavi greets as he takes a seat across from Kanda and Lenalee.  
"Morning." Lenalee smiles as Allen takes his seat.  
"Have you eaten yet?" Lavi wonders, noticing the lack of food in front of the other two.  
"No. I thought we'd wait." Lenalee glances over to Kanda, who's glaring at the table.  
"Well, you can stop pouting, Yuu." Lavi moves to stand. "Let's go get some grub."

—

"I don't think I've seen any of you around before." An older chef greets the four as they approach.  
The woman's grey hair is pulled into a tight hairnet and a bright red scarf sits over her white uniform.

"Yeah, we arrived late last night." Lavi explains.

"Well, how about a hot breakfast?" She nods as she speaks. "I'll make just about anything."

—

"Thanks a lot." Allen thanks the chef, who he'd learnt was named Gail, as he takes his meal.  
"It's weird to see you eating a normal amount." Lavi eyes Allen's breakfast.  
"I doubt you'll be seeing it for long." Allen shrugs.

"We have to go see Supervisor Bailey after this, right?" Lenalee says as they retake their seats.  
"Yeah?" Lavi nods.  
"Does that mean we can see Hevlaska again?" Lenalee finishes, sounding hopeful.  
Allen grins. "I hope so."

—

 **TWENTY MINUTES LATER.**

"Supervisor?" Lenalee cautiously enters the office with the other three.  
Papers litter the floor and the main desk is covered in stacks of sheets and small metal figures.

" _At least it's not as bad as big brother's…"_

"Mei?" Bailey appears form a side door.  
"Ah, good morning." Lenalee greets. "Asher said you wanted to see us."  
"Oh, right." Bailey grins as he heads over. "I need to have your Innocence checked."

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"Everyone, meet Hevlaska." Bailey introduces. "She takes care of the Innocence."  
"Hello." Hevlaska lowers her head, giving a secretive smile.  
"Hello, Hevlaska." Allen smiles as he greets her.  
"Hevlaska, do you think you could-"

"Of course." Hevlaska reaches down, scooping up Allen first. She brings him closer and out of ear shot.  
"Welcome back, Allen." She smiles slightly.  
"It's nice to see you again." Allen smiles back.  
"I am a little surprised to see you all at once." She admits.  
"Our Innocence has returned to normal too." Allen adds. "Like the first time."  
"…That is odd." Hevlaska nods. "I both fear and hope for what this life will bring us."  
"What should we do?" Allen asks. "I mean, our weapons aren't exactly subtle."  
"Yes. The Order will notice the similarities between now and the past." Hevlaska looks thoughtful. "Perhaps it is time that they knew."  
"Do you think so?"  
"Perhaps."  
"Hevlaska?" Bailey calls up to the two. "Is something wrong?"  
"Oh, no." Hevlaska shakes her head. "We were just talking." She turns back to Allen. "Ready?"  
"…I suppose." Allen nods.

Allen feels his Innocence pulse brightly, releasing flashes of light. Hevlaska curls around him tightly as she starts listing off numbers.

"67%…79%…84%…87%" Hevlaska looks back at Allen. "That is your highest for now."  
"Not for long." Allen grins as he is put down.

"Wow." Bailey lets out a long whistle. "Not bad, Martin."

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"You're all pretty high for beginners." Bailey remarks. "But it's nothing too unusual."  
"Oh?" Lavi tries to keep up his ignorant facade.  
"Well, in all our recorded cases of…uh, the Innocence actively going to it's accommodators, the initial synchronisation rate is usually quite high." Bailey explains, flicking through some notes. "But we've never had more than one at a time."  
"Really?" Lavi raises an eyebrow and steals a glance at the others.  
"With less than a month overlap, yes." Bailey looks focused, unaware of the teens' interaction.

"Lexer?" Katherine sticks her head into the chamber, immediately spotting the group. "Ibbot wants to see you."

"Ugh, great." Bailey groans, heading to the exit. "uh, you're free for a bit. I'll find you once I deal with this."

—

"They're a tough bunch of kids." Katherine mutters before looking over at Bailey. "How were their rates?"  
"High." Bailey checks his papers. "Martin was 87%, Myers was 88%, Myong was 85%, and Fukui was 89%."  
"That's impressive." Katherine sighs. "They'll be a pain once they're stronger."  
"You think?" Bailey looks at Katherine. "They don't seem to bad."  
"Lexer, if I know anything about exorcists, which I do, I know that they're all nuts." Katherine says seriously.  
"Even you?" Bailey raises an eyebrow.  
"Yeah, even me."

—

"I think you'll all be critical in under a month." Hevlaska adds.  
"Really?" Lenalee's eyes widen.  
"Your Innocence has regained their original forms." Hevlaska explains. "They're getting ready for something, meaning they'll advance quite quickly."  
"They're already in crystal form." Lavi holds his arm up. "That means something too, right?"  
"I fear this war is ready to advance." Hevlaska sighs. "Whether that is good or bad is up to you."

"Do you think…The Noah are all coming back too?" Lenalee wonders.  
"What do you mean?" Lavi asks.  
"I mean, there were always just a handful of them before, but maybe them all together is why we're all here."  
"It makes sense." Hevlaska nods. "Keep an eye out."  
"Road's here already." Kanda adds.  
"That's right." Lenalee nods. "She's the reason we're here anyway."  
"Then be extra careful." Hevlaska advises. "Remember to always stay on guard."

—

* * *

 **this took a little longer, i think, so sorry!**  
 **anyway, I'm happy with this one.**  
 **If there's anything u guys are having problems with, in terms of continuity or remembering names (i am) then just let me know, I'll see what I can do!**  
 **Anyway, thanks for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ̑̑**


	10. Chapter 10

**this one is a little sadder  
but it does fix some plot things  
there'll be more action soon, so don't worry!**

* * *

 **ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 15**

 **KANDA 18**

—

"I'm glad you're all settling in alright." Bailey grins at the newest exorcists. "Anyway, Heaver has finished your uniforms."  
"Here." A short man, holds out four packages, neatly wrapped and ties with string. The man himself is wearing a standard lab coat and has short, black hair, held back with multiple clips.

"Thanks." Lavi takes all the packages and hands them to the others.  
"Go try them on." Heaver points to the nearby bathroom. "To be sure that they fit."

—

"They can never stay the same for long, huh?" Allen grins, looking down at is hooded coat.  
"I wonder of they'll go back to green trimmings." Lavi wonders, stepping into a stall.  
"I hope not." Allen grimaces.  
"I _do_ like the red, though."  
"…Me too."

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"Looking good, Al." Lavi grins at Allen.  
"Thanks."

Allen smiles at his uniform, trying ignore the sadness welling up inside him. He's died in these clothes far too many times…

The design is almost exactly like his first ones, the red trimming with hints of silver. They look similar to Katherine's and Keith's with the style being far more similar to a military uniform. There's a large patch, where badges or other things would eventually be set.

The coat reaches down to Allen's ankles and the sleeves just past his wrists. A fresh pair of white gloves sit on his hands, held with silver buttons. A large hood hangs behind his head and his boots, still covered in straps, end a few inches above his coat.

Lavi's uniform isn't much different. There's no hood or coat, but a long orange scarf wraps around his neck. His white pants tuck into thigh-high boots. HIs familiar green bandana is ties around his head, pulling his hair back from his face.

"You're just missing your eyepatch." Allen notes, heading over.  
"And your hair's still the wrong colour." Lavi grins, rubbing Allen's head, messing up the red locks.  
"Hey!" Allen protests, pulling his hand away.  
"What the hell are you doing?" Kanda stalks forward, also fully changed.

Kanda's uniform consists of a coat, shorter than Allen's, over a sleeveless black top. A dark red belt holds up his long, black pants which are tucked into boots the same height as Lavi's, albeit much smoother.

"Are you all done?" Lenalee walks in, hands apprehensively over her eyes.  
"Yeah, we're done." Allen replies, causing Lenalee to lower her hands.  
"Good."

A short skirt hands around her waist, not yet like her older one, this one goes a few inches over her knees. Her jacket is tight and streamlined and she has black stockings covering most of her legs. Small, heeled shoes let her anklets be visible, ready to be activated at anytime.

—

"Hey! You look great!" Asher appears suddenly, startling all four.  
"Asher?" Lenalee grins. "You think so?"  
"Of course!" Asher smiles widely. "They suit you."  
"Thanks." Lenalee smiles gratefully.  
"Are there any adjustments you need?" Heaver heads over, smiling proudly.  
"They're perfect." Lenalee beams. "Thank you."

—

 **FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.**

"You're _sure_ you don't want someone to show you around?" Asher looks at the four disbelievingly. "What if you get lost?"  
"I'm sure we'll be fine." Lavi tries.  
"Hm. Well, if you're sure." Asher shrugs.  
"Thanks!" Lavi starts off, the others head after him.  
"Thank you, Asher." Lenalee gives her a quick bow before heading off.  
"…Katherine was right." Asher sighs. "Exorcists are crazy."  
"What makes you say that?" Grace, who'd overheard, wonders aloud.  
"Only a crazy person would risk getting lost in this place." Asher explains as she starts to cackle. "Well, it'll be fun if they stumble upon the storeroom."  
"Oh, dear."

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"They've renovated." Lavi notes. "This corridor is new."  
"Is it?" Allen looks down the hall curiously. "I can't tell."  
"Of course you can't." Kanda mutters.

"What's down here, then?" Lenalee starts forward.  
"Hmm…" Lavi looks thoughtful. "It could be anything, but this level has most of the science offices."  
"…Maybe we shouldn't go down here." Allen shudders. "I don't need to see any crazy experiments."  
"Aw, it'll be fun!" Lavi grins as he heads down the hall. "Maybe there's some cool potions…"  
"This is stupid." Kanda decides.

"That's mean." Lavi pouts. "You should loosen up, Yuu."  
"Don't call me that." Kanda growls, rolling up his sleeves, and revealing the twin crosses on his arms. "Or I'll cut you up."  
"Hmph." Lavi turns away.

"Don't be so mean, Bakanda." Allen glares at Kanda.  
"You-"

"Don't you two start fighting." Lenalee steps between them. "Let's just keep moving."

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"Shouldn't there be, you know, doors?" Allen watches the walls.  
"This is weird." Lenalee says. "Why is there a corridor here anyways?"  
"Wait." Lavi stops suddenly, staring at the wall to their right.  
"What?" Allen looks at the wall, trying to see something.

The wall is covered in a curtain, a deep red, that spans the whole corridor. Pedestals with lamps line the walls, a few meters apart, speeding a warm, yellow light.

"Here." Lavi points to the edge of the curtain, towards the bottom. The curtain has been pulled up slightly, revealing what's behind it.

A small silver plaque shines in the light, it's inscription barely visible.  
"What is it?" Lenalee crouches down for a better looks.

"What does it say?" Allen does the same.  
Lavi reaches out and pushes the curtain higher.

"…T-Timothy Hearst, 1878-1899." Lavi reads.  
"Timothy?" Lenalee's hands fly to her mouth.

"…Shit." Lavi pushes the curtain higher, revealing a dozen more plaques across the wall.

"They're all here." Lenalee wanders further down the hall, her stomach twisting into knots.

She stops after a few steps and hesitantly reaches under the curtain.

"…Here we are." She whispers, spotting the familiar names. "L-Lenalee Lee, 1872-1890. Allen Walker, 1873-1890. Lavi, 1885-1890. Yuu K-Kanda, 1879-1890."

"…Heh, they got mine right." Lavi mutters. "1885…that was the first time I called myself 'Lavi'."  
"Tch." Kanda glares at the dates.

"…How long do you think we'll last?" Lavi whispers, more to himself than the others, but they all hear.  
"I hope…that it lasts a while." Lenalee sighs wistfully. "Since we're all together."  
"…Don't count on it." Kanda glares at the long corridor. "I don't care what any of you say about it, but it'll end the way it always does."  
"Kanda…" Lenalee looks at him sadly.

"Depressing, isn't it?"  
The four look up to see Jefferson a little ways away. He smiles sadly at the red curtain for a moment, letting the exorcists recover slightly.  
"That's everyone who'd ever joined the Order." Jefferson continues, looking back at them. "The plaques are in order of deaths."  
"…Everyone?" Lenalee takes a step back, marvelling at how high the curtain goes.  
"It was made two years ago." Jefferson explains. "We had to search through all the old records, but the Supervisor was so passionate at having it here."  
"Bailey?" Allen turns back to the wall. "This must've taken forever."  
"All the works payed off, I suppose." Jefferson shrugs. "It's a good reminder of what we're all fighting for."

—

 **TWO DAYS LATER.**

"Are you sure?" Bailey speaks into his phone, clearly agitated. "They just got here, after all…"

"What's poppin'?" Asher leans over the desk, trying to listen in on the conversation.  
" _Asher?_ "  
"Oh, Gordon." Asher grins and moves closer to the phone, much to Bailey's annoyance. "What's goin' on?"  
"We just received a mission for the newest exorcists." Gordon explains. "I think it's an in-field combat test. Central wants to check their skill level."  
" _And_ I was just saying…" Bailey pushes Asher away, putting the phone on speaker mode. "That we should maybe wait a while-"  
"Why?" Asher smirks at Bailey. "The kids should get moving. They're getting restless just being stuck here."

—

"I'm _bored._ " Lavi groans for the tenth time.  
"Can't you just read something?" Allen stares at the towering bookshelves.  
"I've read all of them already." Lavi falls deeper into his armchair. "I've had _plenty_ of time."  
"Then, find something else to do." Allen throws a hardcover book at Lavi, missing by just a few centimetres.

"Heh, you missed." Lavi grins lazily.  
"I meant to." Allen turns back to the desk in front of him. "It'll hit it's mark next time."

"…Where're Yuu and Lena-lady anyway?" Lavi looks around.  
"They left ages ago." Allen shrugs. "I think they went to meditate or something."

"Heh…Or something…"

"You're ridiculous."  
"You love it."  
"I don't."

"Hey!" The library doors fly open, revealing Asher and a disgruntled Supervisor Bailey.  
"Asher?" Lavi sits up suddenly.

"You've got a mission, kids." Asher grins.  
"Really?" Lavi jumps up.  
"It's a in-field combat test." Bailey explains, pushing past Asher. "You'll be in almost no danger. It's just to check your skill leve-"  
"Great!" Lavi grins excitedly, turning to Allen. "I'm so ready to get out of here!"  
"Where are we going?" Allen wonders, standing up.

"Well, Myers…" Bailey pulls out a sheet of paper. "You and Fukui will-"

"What? I'm stuck with the grouch?" Lavi slumps back into his seat.  
"You're just heading just outside of Plymouth." Bailey finishes. "So, Martin and Myong will go to Visby in Sweden."

—

"Aw, our first missions and I'm stuck with Yuu." Lavi pouts. "As fun as he his to bother, it's nothing without an audience."  
"And so, your true form emerges, Mr. Attention Seeker." Allen grins.  
"Thanks." Lavi crosses his arms. " _And_ we're not even leaving the country."  
"I'm sure it'll be better soon." Allen reassures. "But Lenalee will get mad if you keep saying those things."  
"Right." Lavi sits up a little. "Maybe it's better to hold off the more dangerous stuff."  
"Hmm. Maybe."

—

 **EIGHT HOURS LATER.**

"Ugh." Allen falls into his bed, letting his arms stretch out beside him.  
It's been decades since he's had Timcanpy. He honestly misses the golden golem. Tim has been missing since his first life. Allen can only guess to where Tim is now.

Allen's eyes flutter closed, the teen being less than bothered to change.

… _ **you haven't forgotten me, have you?**_

 _ **of course not.**_

 _ **but, just to be sure…I thought I'd ask.**_

… _ **Allen?**_

—

The comforting darkness swirls suddenly with colour, a harsh white flashes and in an instant, the world forms around him.

The Earl stands not too far away, his blackened blade shining in the moonlight, it's blade slick with blood.

Allen can feel himself fading, his injuries slowly creeping up on him.

 _ **you can't win.**_

 _ **you've lost.**_

 _ **No! I can still-**_

 _ **your friends are doomed**_

 _ **your family is dead**_

 _ **what will you do now?**_

… _ **I'll…I'll finish the job!**_ _ **  
**_

 _ **wha-**_

…

…

 _ **heh**_

 _ **you were always a strange one.**_

 _ **perhaps that's why I liked you so much, back then.**_

 _ **t-this is it…**_

 _ **for both of us.**_

" _Allen!_ _"  
"_ _Allen, stay with me! Al!_ _"  
"_ _You idiot!_ _"  
_

 _ **Lavi…**_

" _Don_ _'_ _t try to speak. I-I_ _'_ _ll get you out of here._ _"_

 _ **W-wait…**_

" _What is it?_ _"_

" _ **There's something I need to do."**_

" _What? Allen, there_ _'_ _s no time._ _"_

 _ **Y-you're right about that…**_

" _Dammit! That wasn_ _'_ _t what I meant!_ _"_

 _ **I know. But please**_ _ **…**_ _ **Lavi**_ _ **…**_

" _ **W**_ _ **…**_ _ **What do you need?**_ _ **"**_

 _ **Take me to the Ark, please.**_

" _ **Geez, even now, you**_ _ **'**_ _ **re weirdly polite.**_ _ **"**_

… _ **I**_ _ **'**_ _ **ll take that as a compliment.**_

" _ **Okay, What now?**_ _ **"**_

 _ **I**_ _ **'**_ _ **m going to seal it, so everyone can still use it.**_

" _ **What**_ _ **'**_ _ **s that supposed to mean?**_ _ **"**_

… _ **Thank you, Lavi.**_

 _ **H-Hey! What**_ _ **'**_ _ **re you-**_

 _ **Thank you, for everything.**_

 _ **I**_ _ **'**_ _ **ll have to tell Lenalee all about it.**_

 _ **Allen!**_

 _ **I suppose**_ _ **…**_ _ **I**_ _ **'**_ _ **ll be seeing her soon.**_

 _ **Allen!**_

 _ **And so the boy fell into a deep sleep, the flames are agitated painfully in the ashes.**_

 _ **One by one, growing and growing with an adorable face thousands of dreams floating above the Earth**_

 _ **These dreams in the night, while silver eyes shiver,**_

 _ **you are born into a bright light**_

 _ **even though hundreds thousands of years pass**_

 _ **no matter how many prayers return to Earth**_

 _ **I will continue to pray,**_

 _ **Please,**_

 _ **Deliver this message of love**_

 _ **Let us join hands and embrace**_

—

 _ **Allen!**_

"…Neah?  
 _ **Dammit. You scared me there.**_ _ **  
**_"What happened?"

 _ **You were having some freaky dream.**_

"Did…Did you wake me up?"  
 _ **Of course. Well, I tried anyway.**_ _ **  
**_"…thank you."  
 _ **I kind of have this duty of care, Allen.**_

"Still, thanks."

… _ **You're welcome. Now get some more sleep. It's two in the morning.**_

"Thanks."

… _ **Stop thanking me.**_

—

"Allen, are you ready?" Lenalee smiles as Allen leaves his room.  
"Oh, yeah." Allen nods.  
"Lavi and Kanda already went upstairs." Lenalee explains as the two start walking. "They're leaving earlier, but we still have time for breakfast."  
"Mmm...Breakfast sounds great."

—

* * *

 **I wasn't sure about stopping here, but I thought the next part needed the break.**  
 **It's gonna get intense.**  
 **Thanks again for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard ٩(｡•ω•｡)و**


	11. Chapter 11

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 15**

 **KANDA 18**

—

"Hey!"  
Allen and Lenalee look up to see Lavi and Kanda standing at the gate.  
"I thought you'd already left." Allen heads over.

"This _idiot_ decided he needed to fall asleep for an hour." Kanda growls, glaring at Lavi.

"I was up late." Lavi shrugs.  
"You're ridiculous." Kanda mutters.

"You should get going." Lenalee says.  
"Yes, we should." Kanda turns to the gate. "We're already late."

—

"Good morning." Bailey greets the younger teens. "Are you ready to leave?"  
"Should be." Allen nods.  
"Well, I'll introduce you to your chaperones." Bailey gestures to two Finders and another man in red.  
"A CROW?" Lenalee whispers apprehensively as the three come over.  
"This man will be recording the test." Bailey explains. "He'll accompany you today."  
"Great." Allen can't help but mutter.  
"It'll be fine." Lenalee takes Allen's hand, giving it a short squeeze.

"Hello Master and Miss exorcists." The first Finder holds out his hand and speaks in an unrecognisable accent. "My name is Presley and this is Zara." The other Finder nods at her name. "I hope we work well together."  
"Ah, me too, thank you." Allen nods and shakes Presley's hand.

"We'll be leaving for Visby in ten minutes." Zara says. "Are you both prepared?"  
"Yes." Lenalee grins.

"Then, you can head off a little early." Bailey says. "Presley, did you check for the gate?"  
"Yes." Presley nods before turning to the exorcists. "I will guide you through the Ark."

—

 **FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.**

"Are we going the right way?" Lenalee whispers to Allen.  
"…I think so." Allen looks around thoughtfully. "We're going to long way round, but we'll get there soon."  
"…Do you think Presley knows that?" Lenalee wonders.  
"Probably not."

—

"Here we are." Presley stops in front of a wooden door with a small plaque. "Visby, Sweden."  
Zara silently pushes the door open and steps inside.

"After you, exorcists." Presley steps aside.  
"Ready?" Lenalee takes Allen's hand again as they move closer.  
"Anytime."

—

The two exit in a large room. A mix of candles and lamps illuminate the wooden walls. The floors covered in a red, shag carpet and all the furniture has been pushed to the walls.

"Welcome to Visby." A well dressed woman greets the group. "My name is Jennie Bathsheba."

"It's nice to meet you." Lenalee bows slightly. "My name is Mei Myong and this is Ray Martin."

"Good morning, Miss Myong, Mister Martin." Jennie bows in return.  
"Where are we, exactly?" Lenalee wanders, looking around the room.

"We're in the back room of my hotel." Jennie explains with a smile. "I've already reserved some rooms for you."

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"So, where are we headed?" Lenalee asks as the five step out into the street after saying goodbye to Jennie.

"There is a concentration of Akuma in the south of the city." Presley explains. "You'll be clearing out the area."  
"How big of an area are we talking?" Allen asks.

"Just a few blocks." Zara answers. "There shouldn't be more than ten Akuma there."  
"We should get going." The CROW suddenly speaks, their face still obscured by a red mask. "We have very strict time restraints."

As the group head down the street, Lenalee makes her way towards Allen.  
"That was weird." Lenalee mutters, glancing back at the CROW.

"I didn't think he'd speak." Allen admits with a sigh. "The old ones only every spoke the the higher-ups."  
"…I suppose this counts as a good thing, right?" Lenalee wonders.  
"I suppose."

—

 **TWENTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"We're here." Presley stops at a line of police tape. The yellow and black stripes seal off the entire street, from building to building and across the road.  
A few policemen stand tall, keeping the civilians at a distance. A few chattering people loiter a few meters down the street, apprehensively looking into the sealed off blocks.

"Are you ready?" Zara turns to the exorcists. "We'll need to head in soon."

"…Ready?" Allen grins at Lenalee.  
"Ready."

—

The buildings are stained with ash, painting the walls and roads black. Rubble lies in the street, falling off buildings and caving in the red-brick rooms.

"What happened here?" Lenalee stares up at the decrepit street.  
"A few Akuma went wild." Presley explains. "There're some fields around the area, so they can't leave."  
"What about the people who lived here?"  
"Do not look so distressed, Miss Exorcist." Zara answers with a smile. "The are was being evacuated abandoned for construction at the time of the attack. There was only one fatality."  
"Good." Lenalee sighs in relief.

"Be on your guard." Presley adds. "The Akuma could appear at anytime."  
Lenalee nods seriously. "Of course."

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"Lenalee." Allen whispers as he feels a familiar pulse in his eye.  
"Where?" Lenalee whispers back as Allen pulls his violet bandana further down.

"Three, straight ahead." Allen points to a building. "In there."  
"Let's go." Lenalee steps forward.

"Hm?" Zara spots them heading forward. "Has something happened?"  
"…I saw something move." Allen explains. "In that building."

—

"It's blocked." Allen scowls as he steps away from the door. "We need to find another way in."

"Let's try around the back." Lenalee suggests before whispering. "Are they still there?"  
"..Yeah." Allen answers after looking upwards. "But they're moving around a bit."

The two head around the left side, aware of the CROW and Finders trailing behind.  
"Here." Lenalee grins as she spots a small door labelled 'Fire Exit'. "This should lead inside."  
"Try it." Allen nods.  
Lenalee grabs the door handle and pushes. A click sounds and the door swings open with a loud creak.  
"Bingo." Allen grins and the duo step inside.

—

"This place is filthy." Allen scrunches his nose at the damp smell.  
"It's been here a while." Lenalee says. "But there were gaps in the walls higher up…"  
"The Akuma are still there." Allen adds. "Just two floors up."

The fire stairs are steep and damp, dripping and slightly sticky with who-knows-what. Allen avoids touching the walls or handrail as the group head upwards.

The walls are cracked and stained black in more than a few places, like a fire had passed through.

Their footsteps echo loudly, even as they try to muffle the sounds. Luckily, the Akuma haven't heard them yet, they're likely conversing among themselves.

"Here?" Lenalee stops in front of a narrow door at a small break in the steps.  
"…Yeah." Allen whispers in confirmation.  
Lenalee pushes the door, which easily swings open.

—

"Hey!"

The nearest Akuma cries out as Lenalee steps out of the stairway. All three are only Level 1s, so they point their large cannons in the exorcist's direction.

"Mei!" Allen cries out in warning as Lenalee bends her knees slightly in anticipation.  
"Innocence, activate."

—

Allen stays back, knowing that he isn't needed.  
Lenalee's bright glowing boots slams furiously into the Akuma, smashing them into dust before they have time to fall.  
Once cannon barely has time to fire, the bullet flying far off course as Lenalee slams into the responsible Akuma.

She lands gracefully in the middle of the floor, her clothes and hair still unmarred.  
She turns to grin at Allen who gives her a congratulatory thumbs-up.

—

 **FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.**

"Are you sure there's more?" Lenalee looks at Zara and Presley. "Surely we'd've spotted them by now."

"This place is empty." Allen mutters.  
"…I'm not sure." Zara sighs. "But there should at least be more than three-"

The bang echoes loudly through the empty streets.

Zara's eyes widen as she stumbles forward.  
"Zara!" Lenalee cries out as the Finder crumples to the floor.  
"An Akuma?" Allen looks around desperately.  
"Zara…" Lenalee can't help but sob as the woman's skin stains black.

Cracks run up her skin as the stars merge into each other.

It only took a second for her body to crumble.

"Where is it?" Allen scowls as the area appears empty.  
"Let's head that way." Presley looks pale, but still regains some composure. "T-To where it came from."

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"There's nothing here." Allen murmurs. "I don't understand."  
The four head down the street at a quick pace, all scanning the buildings for signs of the Akuma.

"It must be here somewhere." Lenalee shakes her head. "We _have_ to find it."

"…Maybe it's not alone." Allen comes to a sudden stop. "We…How long have we been here?"

"What do you mean?" Presley looks at Allen curiously. "We arrived in this area about twenty-five minutes ago."  
"How long since we got here, to the city?" Allen looks thoughtful.  
"…just over an hour." Presley answers. "Why?"  
"Maybe it's nothing." Allen shakes his head. "But, it's a little strange that…after exactly an hour…" He glances back in the direction where Zara's coat lies.  
"You're right." The CROW interjects. "It's likely nothing. Now, keep moving."

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"What are you thinking?" Lenalee asks.  
"…A Noah? Maybe." Allen sighs. "We'll have to wait and see, I guess."  
"This area is larger than I remember." Presley notes, staring up at the buildings. "It shouldn't take this long to walk through."  
"Really?" Lenalee asks. "Are you sure?"  
"Last time, when we circled the perimeter…" Presley counts on his fingers slowly. "We made it in twenty minutes."  
"That does sound weird." Allen nods. "We're still in the right place, right?"  
"We would've past more tape if we'd left." Presley says.  
"….Let's keep going." Allen decides. "But keep an eye out for anything else weird."

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"Anything?" Lenalee watches Presley fiddle with his golem.  
"…Nothing." Presley scowls. "I can't even connect the signal…"  
"…Maybe we should backtrack." Lenalee suggests, looking behind them. "We should be able to get back that way."  
"It's an idea." Allen nods. "Let's just hope we _can_ get back."

—

 **FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.**

"This is getting ridiculous." Allen sighs. "We should have definitely… seen Zara's coat by now."  
"Try your golem again." The CROW speaks up. "And I can try this." He pulls out something akin to a phone, it's golden surface covered in odd patterns.  
The CROW holds it to his ear as Presley retrieves his golem.

"…This can't be good." Lenalee mutters.  
"It must be a Noah." Allen adds. "It's definitely not an Akuma."  
"Who do you think it is?" Lenalee looks nervous.  
"Best case? Wisely." Allen scowls. "But it's far more likely to be Road again."

—

"At this point, it's pointless to keep moving." The CROW decides. "This situation is out of our hands. Our new priority is to return to the gate."

"So, what should we do?" Presley asks.  
"The enemy is not appearing as me move." The CROW explains. "So we should stay put and let them come to us."

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

The bang echoes loudly, just like it had an hour ago.

Presley's body hits the group with a loud thump, his golem rolling out of his hand.

The body doesn't disintegrate, instead, it just lies there with the oversized bullet piercing through its back.

"Presley…" Lenalee holds back tears of grief and shock as the remaining three stare at the body.  
"Half an hour." Allen notes after checking his watch. "Exactly."

 _ **You're all surprisingly slow.**_

"Road…" Allen growls.

 _ **Well, it doesn**_ _ **'**_ _ **t matter. You**_ _ **'**_ _ **ll be dead soon.**_

"Noah." The CROW stares up at the sky.

 _ **You have fifteen minutes before someone else dies. I'd get going if I were you.**_

"What do you mean!?" Lenalee demands.

 _ **Try and find me. I'm close by. If you find me before you all die, then maybe I'll let you leave~.**_

—

"Well that was fun." Allen mutters.  
"What should we do?" Lenalee looks around at the buildings. "Where do we start looking?"  
"First off, we need to stick together." The CROW says. "We'll check the nearest buildings first."  
"Are you sure?" Lenalee looks unsure. "What if she's father away?"  
"I don't think… she'd make it this unfair." Allen decides. "She wouldn't be too far. She wants to be found."  
"…Yeah, right." Lenalee nods.  
"Well then." Allen grins. "Let's start looking."

* * *

 **its a little short but i wanted to get it out to you guys asap. Next chap will have a little Lavi and Kanda so do not fret.**

 **thanks for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzar** **d ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ**


	12. Chapter 12

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 15**

 **KANDA 18**

—

After only ten minutes of searching, the trio come across a suspiciously clean building. The outside is as decrepit as any other, but the inside is free of rubble.  
A bright red carpet leads up the stairs and through a door left slightly ajar.

"Should we go in?" Lenalee asks tentatively.  
"We don't have much choice." Allen sighs. "It's the only thing we've found."  
"…Alright." Lenalee nods. "I guess I'll…"  
The steps closer to the door and slowly pushes it open, revealing the darkness behind it.

"…Can you see anything?" Lenalee squints at the inky blackness.  
"No." Allen shakes his head. "You ready to take the plunge?"  
"I suppose."

—

The carpet stops suddenly, forcing the exorcists' footsteps to echo loudly through the surprisingly large room.

The area is obviously larger than the building itself, despite being located on the third floor.

A stream of light from the door is the only illumination, leaving a large expanse of darkness in front.

 _ **Eleven minutes…Not bad.**_

"There she is." Allen mutters.

 _ **I'd be surprised, but I'm not that easy to impress.**_

"Come on out!" Lenalee calls.

 _ **Hmmm**_ _ **…**_ _ **maybe.**_

A familiar red door bursts into existence a few meters in front of them. The bright red checkered patterns and golden outline standing out shockingly against the backdrop.

 **C** _ **ome on in**_ _ **…**_ _ **If you**_ _ **'**_ _ **d like~ I**_ _ **'**_ _ **ll be waiting on the other side**_ _ **…**_

—

The red doors open with barely a push, easily swinging open.

Allen tries not to scowl at the room beyond, looking exactly like it had at his and Road's first encounter in the rewinding town.

"Great." He mumbles.

"Hello there."  
Road reclines on the large throne, a large lollipop in her hands and a large grin on her face.  
Allen stays quiet, trying to remember if he should know her name or not.

"Do you know where you are, exorcists?" She smirks. "I'm sure you can at least make a guess."

"…You're a Noah." Allen replies, choosing his words carefully. "And this is…your world."  
"Hmm…" Road jumps out of her seat, taking a few steps closer. "You're smarter than you look."

Allen bites down a snarky reply, instead, he glances over at Lenalee.

"My name is Road." Road finally introduces. "We met a little while ago, if you can remember something that long ago."

"At school." Lenalee says. "You…You're Mak."  
"And it's _very_ nice to see you again, Mei." Road grins, her bright white teeth shining against her grey skin.  
"Why?" Lenalee asks, her gaze hardening. "Why did you…"  
"Pretend to be human?" Road says. "I was _bored_ and you were fun to mess with."  
"What exactly do you want?" Allen demands, glaring at the girl.  
"…I want to play a game!" Road giggles hysterically. "You, like mice in a maze, trapped in my world. It's all a bit of fun, isn't it?"  
"That's not an answer." Allen says.  
"Maybe not." Road shrugs. "But…I think you do need to keep better track of the time."  
"Huh?" Allen looks momentarily confused before realising what she meant. "But you said- if we found you-"  
"That I _might_ let you leave." Road grins. "You might have some freedom in this world, but on the outside, your lying unconscious with a few Akuma hanging over you, just waiting for my command."

—

"That was easy." Lavi deactivates his Innocence.  
"Hmph." Kanda glares at the half a dozen Akuma corpses lying across the beach.  
"Not bad." Their CROW agent nods. "We'll be heading back, then."  
"Do you think the lady and the sprout are back yet?" Lavi wonders.  
"…They should be." A tall Finder nods. "Their mission was to a much smaller area."

—

"Hey!" Allen cries out as the figure of an Akuma appears behind the CROW. "Look out!"  
"Oh no you don't." Road jumps in front of Allen. "You took too long."  
"Get out of my way."

The bullet barely misses the CROW as they fire spells at the Akuma.  
"That's not going to work." Road laughs. "You're still _dead_."  
A phantom bullet slams into the CROW's chest, knocking him forward. The first Akuma fades into nothing, like a mirage, as the CROW falls into dust.  
"You-" Allen turns to Road.  
"That was fun." She skips back to her seat. "But we're just getting started."

—

"They're not back yet?" Lavi stares at Bailey before looking at their Finder. "But…you said-"

"…We haven't been able to contact them since they arrived." Bailey admits. "We were just about to send someone after them."

"We'll go!" Lavi says quickly. "They're out friends-"

"And you just got here." Bailey inturrupts. "We still haven't cleared you for a proper mission."  
"But-"

"Keith has already gone to prepare." Bailey says. "You should go rest."

—

"You remind me of someone, you know that?" Road muses, looking the exorcists up and down. "Well, both of you actually."

"Really?" Allen says.  
"We met in a situation like this too." Road continues. "Trapped…"

She leans on the side of her chair, looking thoughtful.

"…You even look a little alike." She wanders over, her expression still pensive. "Maybe…"  
Road reaches towards Allen, her fingers brushing his violet bandana, which covers his left eye.  
"Hey!" Allen steps back, knocking her hand away.  
"Aw, that was mean." She pouts. "Can't I-"  
"Stop fooling around." Lenalee interjects, stepping forward.  
"Hmph." Road steps back. "Fine then."

—

"Good luck." Bailey nods as Keith steps up to the gate.  
"Thanks, but I hope I won't need it." Keith smiles as he steps inside.

The Ark is just as Keith remembers, stark white and filled with useless buildings. A bright blue sky shines down, free of clouds or even a sun.  
Keith walks silently through the city, the glaring brightness causing him to squint slightly.

There's an odd unease in his gut, a shuddering hum swelling through the Ark. Keith can only pray that nothing goes _too_ wrong.

—

"This way?" Lenalee looks hopelessly down the bright yellow, iridescent hallway.  
"…I can't tell." Allen admits.  
"Let's try it…" Lenalee decides, stepping forward. "I just hope there aren't any more traps…"  
"Look out!" Allen pulls her back as the floor starts to crumble, falling into a black abyss below.

 _ **That's right! Keep going!**_

"Shut it." Allen mutters as they head back in the other direction.  
"We…came from that way, right?" Lenalee points down one hall as they reach the intersection.  
"Then let's go this way." Allen nods as they head the other way.

The hall twists and turns, but is no different to the rest of the shining maze. The roof continues to press down, slowly inching closer to the ground.  
"We can't even be sure there's an exit." Allen glares at the roof. "We just have to keep going."  
"…I'm sure we'll be okay." Lenalee reassures. "…Even then, we have our trump card."  
"I suppose." Allen scowls. "But I'm not quite up for giving ourselves away so easily."

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

Keith slows his jog to a stop as he reaches the door marked 'Visby'. He quickly pushes it open, entering the shining whiteness with no hesitation.

—

"Seriously?" Allen tries to catch his breath, even as the two continue running from the melting corridor. A small burn covers the back of his right hand, where he'd touched the wall.

"This way!" Lenalee calls out as she spots a small flight off stairs.  
"Stairs?" Allen slows slightly as they reach them.  
"We have no choice!" Lenalee grabs Allen's left hand as pulls him up, just as the first steps start to dissolve.

—

Keith immediately spots the Akuma, activating his Innocence is a second to slice through them. He's lucky that they were only Level 1s.

Keith scowls at the bodies on the floor. Mei and Ray are slumped against the wall, leaning against each other.

Four piles of ash lie across the ground, lying inside two Finder uniforms, a CROW outfit, and a fancy gown.

"Hey, Bailey?" Keith pulls out his golem.  
" _Yes?_ "  
"Was there a…a woman meeting them here?"  
" _Oh, yes. Jennie Bathsheba. She owns the hotel you should be in_ _…_ _Is she alright?_ _"  
_ "No." Keith bluntly answers. "I've found her remains, an Akuma got her."  
" _Oh_ _…_ _I see. And the others?_ "  
"The agent from Central and the Finders are gone too." Keith reports, heading over the the sleeping exorcists. "Ray- Martin and Myong are…unconscious."  
" _Are they hurt?_ "  
"I don't think so." Keith moves closer. "Martin's got a burn on his right hand, but there's nothing apart from that."  
" _Can you wake them? And is there anything else?_ "  
Keith gives Mei an experimental shake to no avail as he answers Bailey. "There were some Akuma just hovering over them."  
" _Are you sure?_ "  
"I'm sure. They're weren't attacking at all." Keith tries to wake Ray, only to have the same lack of response.

" _It_ _'_ _ll be best to bring them back, we_ _'_ _ll see what we can do._ _"  
_ "I'm on it." Keith moves to pick up Mei, only for the room's door to creak open.

"Oh?"

Keith looks up to see a young girl in a frilly dress standing in the doorway.

"Who are-"  
The girl starts to laugh hysterically, waving a finger at Keith.  
"Interference isn't allowed." She grins.  
"Wait…" Keith rises, recognising the girl. "You're that Noah."  
"Please, call me Road." Road giggles. "And since you're so ready to help, I'll put you on the front lines."

—

"Are we out?" Allen moves off the yellow platform and onto the red, floating carpet.  
"I think we made it." Lenalee grins, collapsing onto the ground.  
"Shouldn't she be here, then?" Allen looks around as the last of the maze disappears.

 _ **I've found another playmate!**_

"Huh?" The two exorcists look up just in time to see Keith Larr falling from the sky.  
"Keith!?" Allen jumps back as the man lands in front of him.  
"Ray?" Keith looks surprised for a second as he looks around. "Where are we?"  
"Road, the Noah, she's trapped us here." Allen explains. "We don't know where she is now, though."

 _ **Aw, you care about me!**_

Road appears behind Keith in a swirl of darkness.  
"Hello!" She cheerily greets, unaffected by the trio of glares sent her way. "This is getting fun, well, the more the merrier!"  
"What is it you want?" Keith demands, standing in front of the younger exorcists.  
"I'm bored." Road admits with a grin. "And you're so much fun to play with!"

—

"Keith?" Bailey scowls as he gets no reply. "Keith!?"

"Nothing?" Asher looks serious, something dreadfully out of character.  
"He's gone!?" Lavi stands, plenty uptight after demanding to wait in Bailey's office.  
"Great." Kanda mutters. He had also refused to leave, despite being silent most of the time.

"He did say something…" Bailey opens his computer, connecting the golem through a cord.

" _Who are-"_

" _Hahahahahaha! Interference isn't allowed."_

" _Wait…You're that Noah."  
"Please, call me Road-"_

"…"

"Road!?" Lavi stares at the golem. "Like…from the school? Mak?"  
"What's she planning? Damn Noah." Bailey swears as he pulls out his phone. "No one's getting close to that building until I figure out what's going on."  
"What? But we have to help!" Lavi cries. "They're-"  
"You getting attacked the moment you get there won't be any help." Bailey inturrupts. "Until we get some stronger information, no one else is being put in danger, I'm sorry."

—

" _Your exorcists are tougher than they look. I'm a little surprised. But, don't worry, it won't take long for them to break…"_

—

The sharpened candle slams into Keith's shoulder. Road has reverted to her original attacks, something both Allen and Lenalee are far to familiar with.  
"Keith!" Lenalee watches with horror as Keith takes the next blows.  
"You're a sturdy one, huh?" Road smirks. "But you won't last long."  
"Innocence…" Keith raises his blade. "Crash! Jadeite Tide!"

The sword busts with a liquid like energy, tinged a bright green, that crashed down into Road, swallowing her up.  
Road struggles momentarily before grinning as she falls still.  
The smiles doesn't leave her face as new candles appear in the air around Keith, all pointed towards him.  
"Ray!" Lenalee looks pleadingly at Allen.  
"I got it!"

—

"Innocence! Activate!"

—

"Something's happened." Bailey reports, causing everyone to stiffen. "Keith's activated his Innocence."  
"How can you tell?" Lavi asks, heading over.  
"Here." Bailey turns his computer to face Lavi, where a live image of the hotel is shown. The building is glowing green and dripping with green liquid.  
"What _is_ that?" Lavi stares at the image.  
"That's Keith's Innocence." Asher answers. "But it's not hitting any enemies, it'd dissolved if it had."  
"Then…Why'd he activate it?"

—

"Silly exorcist." Road giggles, pushing the liquid out of the way. Her now pale skin gives her a ghostly aura as she moves closer. "Something like that won't hurt me."

"Damn." Keith mumbles as the liquid slowly dissolves and Road summons some more candles.

"Innocence! Activate!"  
A white cloak wraps around Keith, deflecting the candles with a flash of white light.  
"What!?" Road exclaims loudly, jumping forward. "You-"

A long white strand slams into her, pushing her back.

"Keith?"  
Keith looks up to see a silver mask, connected to the white cloak, and he recognises the face behind it.  
"Ray?"

—

"It's gone." Bailey scowls. "Keith's Innocence has deactivated."  
"What now?" Lavi looks slightly deflated.

"Is Katherine in?" Bailey looks over to Asher.  
"She left an hour ago." Asher shakes her head. "Madrid, right?"

"Right." Bailey sighs. "Then, is… is Mattson around?"  
"Bethany? I think so." Asher looks thoughtful. "I'll call her."

—

"You…" Road glares straight at Allen, her eyes flitting between his Innocence and his face.

She snaps her fingers and the world around them dissolves into darkness.

Allen stares as Lenalee and Keith disappear, leaving him and Road in an inky blackness.

—

 _ **I suppose I should say that it's nice to see you again…Allen.**_

—

"You need _my_ help? I thought you'd never ask, Bailey."  
"Please, Mattson, we're out of options."  
"Don't you even worry, I'll slap that Noah bitch so hard, she'll taste asphalt for a month!"

—

 **this went far longer than I expected. O.o**  
 **O well, I hope you enjoy!**

 **(please report any mistakes thanks!)**

 **-Cheese Wizzard**


	13. Chapter 13

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 15**

 **KANDA 18**

—

"Let's see…" Bethany Mattson pushes the door open, stepping out into VIsby, Sweden.  
"…Mattson?"

Bethany immediately spots Keith a little ways away, his coat soaked in blood and full of holes.  
"Holy shit." She heads over, ignoring the smaller exorcist by his side. "What the hell happened?"  
"Noah." Keith winces.  
"Who're you?" Bethany turns to the green-haired girl, who couldn't be older than fifteen.  
"Mei Myong." She introduces. "Did Supervisor Bailey send you?"  
"That's right." Bethany grins toothily. "Now, where's the other one?"

—

"You're just one big mystery, Allen." Road giggles quietly. "I'm surprised."  
Allen stays quiet, praying that they wouldn't have to fight…

"Let's see…" Road wanders forward until she's just a few inches in front of him.

She reaches out to Allen, only to stop and snap her fingers.

Allen scowls as he feels his bandana fade away, revealing his bright red eye underneath.  
"You even look just the same." Road muses. "Except you're a little younger, and the hair's wrong."

 _ **how about I help with that?**_

—

"That can't be good." Bethany sighs loudly.  
"What's the plan?" Keith inches up the wall, leaning heavily on it.  
"First we need to get you out of here." Bethany heads over to him. "You're gonna pass out soon and I don't need to deal with that."

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"Here, Keith." Bailey watches as the doctors take Keith away.  
"That was gross." Bethany wipes her bloodied hands on her coat.

"Mei! Are you alright?" Lavi rushes over as Lenalee steps out of the portal.  
"Fine." Lenalee nods. "But Ray-"  
"Where is he?" Kanda demands.  
"We had to leave him at the hotel." Lenalee admits sadly. "I don't know what'd happen if we took him away from Road in that state."  
"Right." Lavi sighs. "I get it."

—

"Does it hurt? Allen?"  
Allen tries not to squirm as the candle pushes deeper in his gut.

" _That's going to leave a scar…"_

"You're the same as always, I'm glad." Road grins. "I was worried you'd changed over the years."  
She reaches out to touch is face, Allen scowls as his body refuses to move.

" _If I could move, this would already be over."_

"How long have you been around then? A decade? A century? It gets lonely, doesn't it?"

—

"Fine, Myers, just go." Bailey finally relents.  
"Really?" Lavi looks surprised.  
"You're getting to be too much." Bailey says. "You can go back to Martin with Mattson."

—

"I've got it!" Road squeals. "I know just the thing!"  
Another candle appears, except this one is thinner and longer.  
"I'll just get that eye out, then it'll develop properly." Road smirks. "And you'll go back to normal! Isn't that great!?"

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

Lavi and Kanda, who'd somehow tagged along, hurry after Mattson as they sprint through the Ark.  
They suddenly skid to a stop as Mattson reaches one of the doors.

Without hesitation, the door is flung open and the three exorcists wordlessly jump inside.

"Ray!" Lavi calls out as he spots the red head a few meters away.  
"Watch out for the Noah." Mattson warns, glaring at the slightly ajar door.  
"I'll-"

"Hmph." Kanda stalks past, kicking the door open.  
"Hello." A young girl, her clothes once a vibrant colour, is soaked in blood. A pointed candle sits in her hand. "Do you want to play too?"

—

Allen sucks in a deep breath as Road disappears. He can feel the stinging and aching pain of his injuries as he tries to stay conscious…

—

"Take this, bitch!"  
"What!?" Kanda spins around to see Mattson, pointing a giant, flaming battle axe at Road.  
"Hm?" Road barley looks up before she's thrown against the wall, the axe's blade slicing through her gut.  
Kanda watches the body carefully, waiting for Road to get back up. But she doesn't

"That was easy!" Mattson barks. "Let's get out of-"  
A small explosion causes both Kanda and Mattson to turn back to Road.

The wall is now rubble and a small pile of bloodstained ashes is all that remains.  
"Oh well." Mattson dismisses, turning back around. "I'll be sure to hit harder next time."

—

Road's inky black world dissolves around Allen as a bright light flashes for a moment.

… _ **You okay?**_

"Fine." Allen mumbles. "Just bleeding out, thanks."

 _ **Jeez, sorry.**_

"We've messed up."

 _ **I wouldn't say that. She probably won't let to Order find out anyway.**_

"You think?"  
 _ **Sure, I thought**_ _ **'**_ _ **d you**_ _ **'**_ _ **d noticed that they aren**_ _ **'**_ _ **t to crazy about having you executed.**_ _ **  
**_"I suppose."

Allen blinks his eyes, well, his right eye, as he adjusts to the new light.  
"Ray?" Allen shakes his head groggily as Lavi comes into view.  
"…Jon?" Allen struggles to remember his name.  
"Shit, uh, we're gonna get you out of here, okay?'

"'Kay." Allen's eyelids flutter shut.  
"I got 'im."  
"Wait-"

Forcing his eyes open, Allen spots the large woman who's pulling him up.

Her brown, messy hair is tied back in a ponytail. Her face and neck are splattered with scars and her uniform hangs oddly off her large muscles. Her face is lightly tanned, making it an orange that clashes with her hard, blue eyes.

"Sprout." Allen spots Kanda, who looks grumpier than usual.  
"Hey." Allen mutters.  
"Let's just go."

" _Kanda_ _'_ _s attitude is worse than usual_ _…_ _I wonder why_ _…"_

—

"…He's out." Lavi sighs.  
"I'll just carry him." Mattson shrugs, slinging Allen over her shoulder.  
"Ah…" Lavi watches her head to the gate. "Please, be careful."

—

 **ONE DAY LATER.**

"Still asleep?" Lavi casually passes one of the doctors as he enters the infirmary.  
"Yes." The doctor answers. "But I'm sure it won't be long-"

"Thanks." Lavi pushes the door open before the doctor has time to finish.

Lavi pushes past the white curtain and heads over to Allen, who's still unconscious.  
"Hey, Al." Lavi grins as he takes a seat. "This place really doesn't change, you know? It's almost exactly the same as the first time." Lavi leans back. "But they've added another whole floor under the storage rooms. I'll give you a tour when you're up."  
"Kanda's right." Lavi starts at the soft mumble, staring at Allen as he speaks again. "You really do never stop talking."

"Al, you wound me!" Lavi grins as he falls backwards melodramatically.

"You're own fault." Allen mutters.  
"Yeah, maybe."

—

 **?**

"Millenie~!" Road stumbles into the pristine room, staining the floor with dirt, ash, and blood.  
"Road?" The figure of the Earl raises an eyebrow. "What happened?"  
"I found someone~…" She grins as she totters over, falling into the Earl's arms.  
"And who is it that you found?"  
"I found Allen!"

* * *

 **yes, it's short and I deeply apologise!**

 **please don't kill me**

 **Anyway, I just wanted to wrap that bit up in a mini chapter for you. Don't fret, the next full chap will come out soon!**  
 **Thanks again for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard**


	14. Chapter 14

**I've kind of added a sub-story that'll eventually meld into the main one.**  
 **This chap is just an intro to it.**  
 **Yes, it's technically part of the story.**

 **So, I wanted to add Journals, mostly as a way for the exorcists to unwind and express them selves.**  
 **I think it's important and it'll help progress the story.**  
 **So, thanks for reading!**

* * *

"Kathy!"  
"Asher?" Katherine watches the head scientist rush forward, out of breath. "What is it?"  
"I-I found them!" Asher exclaims excitedly.  
"What did you find?" Katherine looks sceptical.  
"The journals!" Asher holds up a back, bound book. Katherine immediately recognises it.  
"I've got one of those." Katherine says, taking the journal. "Bailey gave me one when I arrived."  
"They've been around since the 1800s." Asher explains. "Well, they started at the end of 1890."  
"Why then?" Katherine hands the book back.  
"Apparently that was the year half of the exorcists died." Asher says sadly.  
"Half?"  
"Mm. And in under a few months, after the Earl was killed for the first time."  
"That's depressing."  
"Anyway!" Asher perks up, smiling at the journal. "They had theses stored away for ages. This one's from 1894!"

"So what?" Katherine isn't impressed.

"Since the fire in 1967, all the exorcist records before then have been completely empty." Asher explains. "Because all the old records were in paper, they all burnt."

"And these journals can fill in the blanks." Katherine nods.

"All our records only have real general things." Asher says excitedly. "Dates of birth, death, appearances and their Innocence descriptions. But we have nothing on their lives or missions or synchronisation levels-"

"You're going to read them?" Katherine finishes.

"Well, yes." Asher says. "Why?"  
"It's nothing, as long as you don't read mine."

—

"Why am I here?" Katherine watches Asher drop the dozens of journals on her desk.

"I wanted to read them with you." Asher says. "It's too depressing to do it on my own."  
"So you want to depress me too?" Katherine stands, heading over to the desk.

"Hehe, maybe." Asher grabs a random book. "Let's start with this one."  
"Why?" Katherine grabs the journal.  
"It's from the late 1800s." Asher says. "One of the earlier ones."  
"Who is it?" Katherine flicks through the pages.  
"Miranda Lotto." Asher grabs the book, opening it to the front page. "Exorcist from 1888 to 1892."

 _ **Komui gave me this after the funeral.**_

"That's a bad start." Katherine mumbles.

 _ **I almost didn**_ _ **'**_ _ **t go. I didn**_ _ **'**_ _ **t think I could bare seeing them there. But Arystar and Noise convinced me. I had to say goodbye.**_

"There's tear stains." Katherine notes.

"She was crying." Asher says.

 _ **I feel so terrible, since they were so much younger than me.**_ _ **  
**_ _ **I only wish I could have said goodbye when they were still alive.**_

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

"…That's it." Katherine flips through the blank pages.

"The date is the day before she died." Asher bitterly explains.  
"You ready for another one?" Katherine scowls as she points to the remaining pile.  
"…Maybe tomorrow."

—

"You'll be out tomorrow, I reckon." Doctor Ajam smiles at Allen.  
"Thank you." Allen nods.  
"That's great, isn't it." Lavi grins. "I can show you all the cool places I've found."  
"Oh, I forgot!" Lenalee speaks up suddenly. "They found the records that the CROW took."  
"And?" Allen sits up in his bed.

"He didn't get anything on you." Lenalee explains.  
"So I have to do it again?" Allen exasperates.  
"I'm not sure." Lenalee admits. "But I heard Keith talking to Bailey about you."  
"I can't tell if that's good or bad." Allen shrugs. "I suppose we'll have to see."

—

 **THE NEXT DAY.**

"Hurry up!" Lavi says impatiently.

Allen slips on his jacket as the older teen pushes the curtain aside.  
"Lavi!" Allen grabs the curtain. "You're the worst."  
"I know." Lavi grins. "Now, c'mon!"

—

"Where are we going?" Allen watches Lavi as the latter pulls him along.

"I found some old rooms on the lower floors." Lavi explains excitedly. "They've filled then with lots of old stuff, from out time."

"Like what?" Allen's suddenly interested.  
"Books, clothes, some weird science experiments." Lavi recounts. "I think there was half a Komlin in there too."

"Oh, _great._ "

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"Here!" Lavi points to a door, one of a dozen lining the corridor.

"Are you sure?" Allen steps forward, reaching for the handle.  
"Definitely." Lavi nods. "You'll see."

Inside, stacks of boxes lie haphazardly across the floor. Shelves against the back wall are carrying a clutter of smaller boxes, bottles, books and stacks of papers tied up with string.  
"What is all this?" Allen reaches to the nearest box, pulling it open.  
"They're old records." Lavi explains as Allen flicks through the papers. "Apparently most were destroyed in the fire."  
"In 1967." Allen nods.  
"Yeah, well, this is all they have left." Lavi finishes.  
"This is weird." Allen muses, dropping the papers back.  
"It gets weirder." Lavi grins. "Look at this."

Lavi heads over the the back wall, where a human-sized box lies.  
"Oh, don't tell me…" Allen heads after him.

"Oh, yes." Lavi opens the box dramatically, revealing a metallic figure.  
"Komlin EX." Allen smiles.

The robot was made for the new headquarters, looking like a metal Komui. It's a few inches taller than him, though.

"Didn't General Sokalo destroy it?" Allen remembers.

"Yeah, it seems like Komui patched it up before putting it away." Lavi agrees.  
"…Do you think it still works?" Allen takes a closer look.

"I hope do." Lavi smirks. "It'll be fun to see what happens."  
"You're as bad as Komui." Allen sighs. "Still, let's see what we can do."

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

"Asher!" Lenalee jogs into the science department.  
"Mei?" Asher appears from under her desk, a pair of safety goggles over her eyes.  
"Have you seen Ray? Or Jon?" Lenalee asks. "They weren't at breakfast and I can't find them anywhere!"  
"I think Jon was exploring the lower levels." Asher replies. "He might've taken Ray with him."  
"The lower levels?" Lenalee echoes.  
"They're used for storage." Asher explains. "There's things over a hundred years old in there."  
"A hundred years?" Lenalee looks thoughtful. "Yeah, thanks."  
"Try not to get lost." Asher grins. "They can get a little complicated."  
"Oh, I'll be fine." Lenalee smiles. "I-"

"Make way!"  
"What was that?" Asher looks towards the entrance, where the shout came from.  
"Jon?" Lenalee recognises the voice.

The door slams open, revealing both Jon and Ray. The two are laughing hysterically, even as they're out of breath.  
"Where have you been!?" Lenalee demands, heading over. "I looked everywhere!"  
"Sorry." Lavi grins.  
"Yeah, sorry." Allen stands upright. "But we found something cool."

"HA!" The door flies open again, revealing a _very_ familiar robot.  
"A robot?" Asher looks surprised. "Where did you-"

"I am no simple robot!" Komlin EX inturrupts. "I am the great Komlin EX, please, call me Komlin."  
"What did you do?" Lenalee turns to the boys.  
"We found it in a storage box." Lavi explains. "And we wondered if it still worked."  
"And it did." Allen grins.

"You two…" Lenalee tries not to smile at them.

"Hello, miss!" Komlin looks to Lenalee. "I am Komlin."  
"Hello, Komlin." Lenalee smiles brightly. "Call me Mei."

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

Komlin zooms through the corridors, delivering papers and stamping documents. The majority of the science department are glad for the help. The minority are worried about all the part records of Komlins.

Supervisor Bailey loves the robot, letting it roam free when it's not helping out.

Lenalee quickly warmed up to Komlin, helping it navigate the renewed headquarters and showing it how to do some things.

"I think this worked out quite well." Lavi grins as he and Allen sit in the cafeteria.

"Lenalee looks happy." Allen hums. "That means it was a success."  
"What the fuck have you done?" Kanda angrily slams his hands on the table, startling the other two.  
"Whatever do you mean, Yuu?" Lavi smirks.  
"You know what the hell I mean, Baka usagi." Kanda growls.

"You mean Komlin?" Lavi says. "I thought you'd like him."  
"You-"

"Don't you start fighting." Lenalee appears behind Kanda. "Not here anyway."  
"…Tch." Kanda relaxes slightly and takes a seat as far from Lavi as possible while still at the same table.

"Now," Lenalee takes a seat among the three. "Let's eat."

—

 **HALF AN HOUR LATER.**

"Woah." Lenalee marvels at the box filled room.  
"Isn't it great?" Lavi grins. "This is where we found Komlin."

"What's all this other stuff?" Lenalee heads over to the shelves.

"I'm not sure." Lavi shrugs. "Just some old papers, records and such."  
"What about this?" Lenalee grabs a small box of the bottom of a shelf.

It's taped up with masking tape and covered in clear tape and stickers.

"Open it." Allen says, heading over.

Lenalee places the box on the floor and proceeds to tear off the tape.

Inside, there are half a dozen black books. All with silver lettering over the front and two dates.

"I remember these." Lenalee reaches for the first one. "What are they doing here?"  
"Hey, this one's mine." Lavi grins as he picks up one labelled: Michael Boulder 1902-1919.

"…So they did keep them." Allen grabs one with the name Harrison Bal, 1891-1908.

"You sound surprised." Lavi opens his journal.  
"They said they wouldn't." Allen mutters.

"Well, that's what you get for trusting the science department." Lavi says before muttering. "And the rest of the Order."  
"Do you think they've read these?" Allen looks worried.  
"Probably not." Lavi answers. "This box hasn't been moved in decades."  
"Good." Allen holds the book close to his chest.

"…Maybe we should keep these." Lenalee says. "I mean, just our ones."  
"I can barely remember what I wrote in them." Allen admits.  
"I wonder if the others are around too." Lenalee looks around them. "There's only a few here."

"Hmm…" Lavi rummages through the open box. "Which one do you think is Yuu's?"  
"I suppose it wouldn't be hard to tell." Allen grins. "Just see which one starts insulting you on the first page."

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"I got it." Lenalee suddenly says, holding up a book titled Amedeo Durianal.

"Are you sure?" Lavi drops his and head over.

"Definitely, see? It's in Japanese." Lenalee nods as Lavi starts reading.

"Why the fuck am I writing in a journal?"  
"That's definitely him." Allen agrees.

"Targan is a-" Lavi stops. "There's just a bunch of scribbles here."

"Targan…He took over as Supervisor, right?" Allen recalls.  
"Yeah, that's him." Lavi nods.

 _ **Well, whatever the fuck this is for, I suppose I**_ _ **'**_ _ **ll go along with it.**_

 _ **Even though this is a waste of my time.**_ _ **  
**_

"This is really messy…" Lenalee mutters disapprovingly.

"What'd you expect?" Lavi grins.

 _ **No one else has showed up yet. I**_ _ **'**_ _ **m not bothered to hope.**_

 _ **The dead should stay dead.**_ _ **  
**_ _ **But I**_ _ **'**_ _ **ve always been an exception, I guess.**_

"…Kanda…" Lenalee looks sadly at the book.

 _ **I**_ _ **'**_ _ **ll be glad that the sprout or rabbit aren**_ _ **'**_ _ **t around to bother me about this.**_

 _ **But if they are around, I**_ _ **'**_ _ **ll cut them to pieces one I get**_ _ **MAUWBF**_ _ **back.**_

"I think that says Mugen." Lavi decodes the scribble.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Allen shrugs.  
"Well, that's enough." Lenalee snaps the book closed. "We should give it to him."  
"Yeah, alright." Lavi resigns, grabbing his own book. "Let's find ourselves a maniac."

—

 **TWENTY MINUTES LATER.**

"What the hell is that?" Kanda glares at the book.  
"We found it in storage." Lenalee explains. "we guessed that you might want it."  
"…How'd you know it was mine?" Kanda takes the book from Lenalee's hands.

"You're not exactly subtle, Yuu." Lavi smirks.  
"Whatever." Kanda shoves the book to the side. "And don't call me that!"

—

 **THE EVENING.**

Allen lies back on his bed as he stares at his old journal.

They'd given him a new one when they'd arrived, but he hasn't touched it yet.

Allen sits up slightly and gently opens the book. Lavi had said to be careful, since it was about a hundred years old.

 _ **March 12th 1902**_

 _ **Apparently they**_ _ **'**_ _ **ve started giving journals to the exorcists.**_ _ **  
**_ _ **I**_ _ **'**_ _ **m told it was the former Supervisor**_ _ **'**_ _ **s idea.**_

 _ **So, thank you, Komui.**_

 _ **I arrived at the Order early this morning. I almost hoped that everyone else would be here too. But, I don**_ _ **'**_ _ **t recognise anyone. Apparently almost everyone left a few years ago.**_ _ **  
**_ _ **I wish there was someone here, but I**_ _ **'**_ _ **m alone for now.**_

 _ **Oh, except Hevlaska**_ _ **'**_ _ **s here. I**_ _ **'**_ _ **m not surprised, since she**_ _ **'**_ _ **s already over a hundred years old anyway.**_

 _ **I miss Crown Clown.**_

 _ **I mean, technically it**_ _ **'**_ _ **s the same piece of Innocence, but he looks different.**_

 _ **He**_ _ **'**_ _ **s a bow and quiver now. I suppose this is as good a time as any to improve my aim.**_

 _ **I wonder how everyone**_ _ **'**_ _ **s doing. They**_ _ **'**_ _ **ll still be alive, somewhere.**_

 _ **I wonder if the Order erased their memories.**_

 _ **If they did, it**_ _ **'**_ _ **s probably for the best.**_

 _ **Until next time,**_

 _ **{Allen Walker}**_

 _ **Harrison Bal.**_

"Ugh." Allen glares at his scribbled out name. It's still annoyingly legible. He couldn't help it, it was habit to sign off with his name.

Allen grabs a pen off his bed side table and strikes a few more lines through. He doesn't stop until there's just a wonky black box of the name.

" _I suppose it_ _'_ _ll do for now._ _"_

* * *

 **Hey guys, thanks for reading.**

[EDIT] { okay, so this fix started as just a dump of ideas, and now i'm just working on forming a proper story for it. I'm still a little iffy about how I want it to go, so any ideas you guys have will help a lot. I thank you in advance for the support and apologise for anyone waiting for updates. Thanks again!)

[I WILL ADD THINGS HERE, SO IF I DON'T UPDATE FOR A WHILE, CHECK BACK HERE AND I MIGHT'VE ADDED AN EXPLANATION OR SUMTHING IDK)

 **So, tell me what you think about the journals or anything else.**  
 **Please tell me about any typos or anything.**  
 **Thanks again!**  
 **-Cheese Wizzard. T^T/**


	15. Chapter 15

{Ok I'm sorry this took a while, I'm still working on this story's plot, so hang with me for a bit.}

* * *

"You ready?" Asher drops a black book in front of Katherine.  
"…As ready as I'll ever be." Katherine sighs, spinning around on Asher's desk chair.

"It's a little later, 1899." Asher starts. "The last journal of Timothy Hearst."

 _ **Well, it**_ _ **'**_ _ **s another Christmas and another Journal.**_

 _ **Komui**_ _ **'**_ _ **s retiring at the end of the year though.**_

"'Komui'? He was in Lotto's too." Katherine muses.  
"He was the Supervisor at the time." Asher waves her hand dismissively. "And his younger sister was an exorcist."  
"I suppose that got him in the business?"  
"Hmm, yeah."  
"When did she die?"

"…1890."

 _ **He never really recovered after Lenalee died. Or any of the others.**_ _ **  
**_ _ **I don**_ _ **'**_ _ **t think anyone has really recovered since then.**_

"I don't get it." Katherine says.  
"I think Lotto was talking about the same thing." Asher says thoughtfully. "She mentioned a funeral, the most recent one would have been for…"  
"For who?"  
"…Shit." Asher scowls.  
"What is it? Asher?"  
"The first time the Earl was killed." Asher mumbles. "I told you about it yesterday."  
"And?"  
"I told you about all the exorcists that died? Well, they were all given separate funerals, except four."  
"What do you mean?"  
"They had one mass funeral for four of the exorcists. They were the youngest and were apparently very close. They died within a week of each other."

"…Shit. And my guess is Lenalee was one of them?"  
"Yeah." Asher lets out a breath.

 _ **Well, I**_ _ **'**_ _ **m leaving for a new mission tomorrow.**_

"…When does this kid die?"  
"1899."  
"And when was this written?"  
"December 25th, 1899."  
"Great."

 _ **It**_ _ **'**_ _ **s a little annoying since I just got back yesterday. But, what can you do?**_

 _ **Anyway, I just wanted to say**_ _ **…**_

 _ **Happy 26th Birthday, Allen.**_

"Who's Allen?" Katherine wonders.  
"He was one of the exorcists…who's funeral was with Lenalee Lee."  
"Oh."

 _ **Since I**_ _ **'**_ _ **m 21 this year, I**_ _ **'**_ _ **m allowed the drink with everyone.**_

 _ **I think I understand why they like it so much**_

 _ **:)**_

 _ **Well, I**_ _ **'**_ _ **ll be back here later, I suppose.**_

 _ **-Timothy Hearst, 21**_

 _ **25/12/1899**_

—

"Come _on_ Allen." Lavi watches the younger teen impatiently.

"I'm not done yet." Allen protests, shoving a few more spoonfuls of egg into his mouth.  
"You'e been here for half an hour." Lavi says. "We're supposed to be meeting Lenalee and Yuu downstairs."  
"I'm _coming._ " Allen drops his plate. "See? I'm done."

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

"You're late." Lenalee watches the two teens jog into the Hevlaska's chamber.  
"The sprout's stomach's gotten bigger." Lavi explains.  
"It has _not_." Allen slaps his arm.  
"Oh, I'm sure it hasn't." Lavi retorts.  
"Can you stop?" Kanda growls as he heads over.  
"Only when you stop being such a grouch." Allen mumbles.  
"What was that?" Kanda bites.

"Okay, stop for real." Lenalee interjects.

"Just the same as ever, I see." Hevlaska's airy voice drifts down to the exorcists.  
"Ah, sorry Hevlaska." Allen apologises.  
"Don't be." She smiles. "By the way, Allen, how's your eye doing?"  
"Hm?" Allen reaches up to touch the bandaged eye. "I think it's all better, actually."  
"Then why is it still covered?" Lenalee wonders.  
"The Order'll get suspicious if it miraculously heals." Lavi explains. "It's only been a couple days. In fact, it shouldn't heal at all."  
"So, you'll just leave it like that?" Lenalee asks.  
"I can still kind of see through it." Allen says. "So I can still see any Akuma."

"Hmm…" Hevlaska hums thoughtfully.

"What is it?" Lenalee wonders.  
"I just remembered, Lenalee, it's your birthday soon, isn't it?" Hevlaska says.  
"Oh, well…" Lenalee nods. "It is, actually. I'd forgotten."  
"How do you forget your own birthday?" Lavi raises an eyebrow.  
"It's a little hard when it changes every few years." Lenalee defends.  
"…Is it the same?" Allen wonders.  
"Hm?"  
"As the first time."  
"…Yes. That's weird, I hadn't noticed." Lenalee replies.

"What about the rest of you?" Hevlaska asks.  
"Yup." Lavi nods.  
"Me too." Allen confirms.  
"…Yeah." Kanda mutters.

"And you think all this is _still_ a coincidence." Lavi smirks at Kanda.  
"Now, now." Hevlaska says. "This is good. We can celebrate your proper birthday Lenalee."  
"Hmm…" Lavi looks thoughtful. "If it's the same, then…it's in three days."  
"That's right." Lenalee smiles. "I'm almost surprised you remember."  
"Heh, it's my specialty, Lena-lady."

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"Birthday?" Bailey raises an eyebrow at the teens.

"Sounds like fun!" Asher chirps. "When is it?"

"In three days." Lavi cheerily answers. "On the eleventh."

"I think we can put something together." Bailey smiles. "It'll be good for everyone to unwind."

"We can introduce you to all the other exorcists too." Asher adds. "Since you're all new."  
"Can we get everyone over?" Bailey wonders.  
"I'll check." Asher shrugs, leaning over Bailey's desk. "As long as you don't dish out any missions this week, it should be fine."

—

 **ONE DAY LATER.**

"Why are you here?" Lavi watches Lenalee walk beside him. "You're not meant to see us get your presents, you know?"  
"Then I'll head off when you're ready." Lenalee smiles. "But I just wanted to get out a little."  
"Where exactly are we headed?" Allen gestures to the pale streets of the Ark.  
"London?" Lavi suggests. "The city will have plenty of places to shop."  
"We're lucky we get paid now." Allen grins. "Even if it's not much."  
"Better than nothing." Lavi nods.

"What are you kids chatting about?" Asher leans down towards the three teens.  
"Nothing." Lavi quickly replies.  
"Leave 'em alone." Katherine pulls the eccentric scientist away.  
"So, you decide on a destination yet?" Asher asks, now a distance away.  
"We were thinking about heading to London, to the city." Allen answers.  
"I think there's a gate into the train station…" Asher muses, wandering forward. "This way…?"

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

"Okay, get out of here Mei-lady." Lavi shoos Lenalee away as the group step out of the gate. "Time for some secret shopping."

"Fine." Lenalee steps back.  
"How about I watch the boys, and Kathy can watch you, Mei?" Asher proposes.

"Sure." Lenalee turns to look at Katherine.

"Alright." Katherine nods. "Just try not to get lost."

—

Katherine and Lenalee start off first, heading through the red-brick station with glaring lights shining from sparking lanterns as a wave of people pass through.

"Where do you want to go first?" Katherine asks as the two push through the crowd.

"How about some breakfast?" Lenalee says. "I woke up kind of late."  
"…Breakfast sounds good."

—

"La-Jon, you're telling me you haven't even thought about what to get?"  
"Yup, that sounds about right."  
"Unbelievable."

"Well, what are you going to get?"  
"Uh…"

Asher silently listens to the two teens bicker as they walk down the busy street. It's still early, so the street is mainly occupied by people in suits and coffee in hand.

"How about here?" Allen stops in front of an antique shop, full old old-fashioned clothes and other things. Just in the window, there are pocket watches, dresses, canes and shoes.  
"Here?" Lavi's eye skirt over the window display for just a second before his mouth splits into a wide grin. "Definitely."  
"Is Mei into this stuff?" Asher wonders, looking curiously at the bulky items.

"Yup." Allen smiles. "I just hope we can find something she'd like."

—

"So how'd you meet the boys?" Katherine asks, lazily mixing a cup of coffee.

"Oh, well…" Lenalee looks thoughtful. "I met Akai when I was nine and he was twelve."  
"How'd it go?"  
"He saved me from this group of men." Lenalee recalls. "Beat them into the ground if I remember correctly."  
"Oh?"  
"And then I took him home to fix his injuries." Lenalee smiles. "I guess we hit it off."  
"You guess?" Katherine smirks. "That kid acts like everyone he meets killed his mother." She scoffs. "Except you and your friends a little."  
"Really?" Lenalee looks surprised. "I thought he was the same with us as everyone."  
"I guess it'd be a little hard to tell." Katherine shrugs. "Or maybe I'm overanalysing things."  
"Hmm." Lenalee turns back to her puff pastry, absentmindedly poking the apple squares atop it.

"And the others?" Katherine prompts.  
"Oh, well, Akai was the one who introduced us, I guess."  
"Really?"  
"Yeah, they met in an antique shop apparently."  
"…For some reason, I'm not surprised."  
"Hm?"  
"I can easily picture them in an antique shop, which is weird."  
"…Yeah, weird."

—

"Jon! Look at this!" Allen holds up one of the pocket watches, it's silver face, dimly reflecting the light.  
"What is it?" Lavi head over, taking the watch.  
"Doesn't it look familiar?" Allen whispers, making sure Asher couldn't hear.  
"Familiar?" Lavi holds the watch up, letting more light hit it. "Oh!"  
"We never got around to returning that repair job." Allen sighs. "I guess we got sidetracked."  
"Sidetracked." Lavi laughs. "If that's what you want to call it."

"How about this?" Lavi holds a black shawl in his hands, tiny butterflies embodied in green and blue fly across the fabric as they glitter slightly in the light.

"That's great!" Allen grins. "It's just like her old one."  
"Maybe we should grab something extra too…" Lavi looks around thoughtfully.

—

"And that's when the Akuma attacked." Lenalee finishes. "And you and Keith turned up."  
"Quite a ride, huh?" Katherine smiles.  
"What about you?" Lenalee asks.  
"Me?"  
"If you don't mind me asking, how'd you end up at the Order?"

—

"I've got it!" Allen smiles down into his hands.  
"What?" Lavi leans over.

"Are you finally done?" Asher wanders over too as Allen holds up what he's found.

A sparkling blue hands from a thin silver chain. The stone, shaped like a tear drop, has a small hinge on the side, that opens to reveal a small picture frame. Small glass crystals line the stone and appear along the chain itself, all varying shades of light blue.  
"It's great." Lavi grins. "She'll love it."

"I agree." Asher nods. "Good eye."

—

"I wasn't too upset." Katherine admits. "I mean, my mom was jerk."  
"But…?"  
"But my dad got real beat up about it." Katherine sighs. "And you can imagine what happened next."  
"…I'm sorry."  
"Nah, it was alright." Katherine shrugs. "Luckily, my dad wasn't parent of the year either."  
"What happened to them?"

"Well, my dad's old shotgun was on the mantel piece and it seemed like the best option at the time." Katherine finishes. "And, well, I got lucky."

"…"  
"And then, when the Order finally showed up and took me away…well, I'm just glad Asher came too."  
"You're very close." Lenalee smiles.  
"We've known each other for years." Katherine smiles wistfully. "I suppose that's why."  
"Mmhmm." Lenalee hums, pushing her empty plate away. "I suppose."

—

"Is this all?" The old shop worker carefully places Lenalee's gifts into a paper bag.  
"Yup." Asher smiles.  
"Alright." The man pushes the bag forward. "That'll be thirty-eight pounds."  
"Here." Lavi passes the money over the counter as Allen takes the bag.  
"You know, I don't usually have customers as young as you." The man adds.  
"Really?" Lavi says.  
"It's usually people around my age." The man grins. "If I may, what brought you here specifically?"  
"I guess…" Lavi glances down at Allen. "We're just fans of the time."  
"If you say so."

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"All done?" Katherine and Lenalee head towards the trio back in front of the train station.  
"Yup." Allen grins, holding out the bag. "But you can't look inside."  
"I wouldn't dream of it." Katherine looks up at Asher. "Everything go alright."  
"Just fine." Asher grins. "They were surprisingly enthusiastic about this antique shop."  
"Heh." Katherine lets out a small laugh. "Mei tells me Akai met those two in an antiques shop."  
"Now, why doesn't that surprise me?"

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

" _I am_ not _going to a dumb-_ _"_

"You don't have much choice Lando."  
 _"_ _You can_ _'_ _t make me._ _"  
_ "I can. I'm ordering you to."  
 _"_ _For fucks sake Bailey-_ _"_

"Just turn up for half an hour and I'll let you leave."  
 _"_ _Ah fuck, fine. Whatever._ _"  
_ "And I'd watch your language. They're just kids."  
 _"_ _Go fuck yourself Bailey. I_ _'_ _m leaving._ _"_

"…Charming."

"Lexer!" Asher slams the office door open.  
"Asher." Bailey sighs, replacing his phone. "Are you all back?"  
"Yeah, they kinda scattered when we left the gate." Asher grins.  
"Well, I just finished talking to Lando." Bailey sighs. "He's as stubborn as ever."  
"But he's coming." Asher grins.  
"Of course." Bailey nods.  
"You can be surprisingly competent at times Lexer."  
"…Thank you."

—

* * *

 **Please tell me about any errors or things so i can fix them!**  
 **Thanks again for reading!**  
 **-Cheese Wizzard ;3**

 **EDIT {i noticed my contradiction, putting Lenalee's birthday in both two days and a weeks time. It is now three days. Sorry}**


	16. Chapter 16

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 15**

 **KANDA 18**

 **—**

"Do we _have_ to do this?" Katherine all but glares at the small journal on the desk.  
"Well _I_ have to. And you're my supportive and fantastic friend who would never let me do this alone." Asher smiles playfully, picking up the volume.  
"…You're the worst."

"You love me."

"…just get started."

 ** _I wish things could have been different._**

"Good start." Katherine groans.

"Shh…"

 ** _But, maybe things will turn out better this way. I suppose I'll never know._**

 ** _A pair of new exorcists arrived today. Apparently they know each other. It's good that they have friends in each other. They seem nice, but I don't dare go speak to them. It's better they don't get upset once I pass._**

"Are they all this depressing?"  
"…yeah, mostly."

"Great."

 ** _I know the others don't approve of me being so distant, but from what I've heard from some of the older members, it'll be better in the long run._**

 ** _Speaking of, I visited the science department today._**

 ** _Apparently today is the anniversary of some tragic event and they all spent the day moping about._**

 ** _I guess I understand though._**

 ** _…Now that I think about it, who knows whether it's better to make friends while we still can._**

 ** _I suppose I'll never find out._**

"…There isn't really anything else useful." Asher dully flips through the remaining pages.

"Good, I couldn't stand it." Katherine grumbles.

"I guess…"  
"They really made a big deal out of it, huh?" Katherine muses, eyes wandering up to the ceiling.

"About what?"  
"You know, killing the Earl for the first time? They should probably have a name for it."

"Well, it was a big deal." Asher nods.

"But now, it doesn't really matter." Katherine sighs. "Since they all just reincarnate again and again."  
"Oh, don't sound so hopeless." Asher leans forward with a grin. "You're sounding like Sebby."  
"What!? I don't sound anything like fucking Zilberschlag! Ugh."  
"That's the Kathy I know." Asher smirks.  
"You're the worst."

"You love me."

—

"Exactly how many exorcists are there?" Lenalee wonders, watching Bailey continue his phone calls.  
"Including you?" Bailey looks thoughtful. "…twenty-two."

"…That's not a lot." Lenalee mutters.  
"Not really." Bailey agrees. "But, it was worse before you four."  
"I guess that's something." Lenalee smiles.

"I've just got one call left." Bailey adds. "Unfortunately, most of our Generals are out of the country and are unavailable."  
"That's too bad." Lenalee sighs.  
"But…" Bailey smiles. "I'm almost positive Robert can come."  
"Robert?"  
"Robert Corra. I think you'll like him."

—

"Are you sure?" Gail, the head chef, looks at Lavi and Allen curiously. "I've never had an exorcist help out in the kitchen. Let alone two."  
"We just want to help out with Mei's birthday cake." Lavi grins. "If you don't mind, that is."  
"Oh no, it sounds fine." Gail absentmindedly continues to stir a large pot of soup. "Almost everyone's coming back to headquarters, so I need all the help I can get."

—

 **ONE DAY LATER (MAY 11th, Lenalee's birthday)**

"Excited?" Lavi grins at Lenalee from across the table.  
"A little." Lenalee smiles. "Supervisor Bailey got almost every exorcist to attend, so it'll be good to meet them all."  
"It's a bit overwhelming." Lavi agrees. "I don't think I've ever properly met everyone at once."  
"It better not be boring." Kanda mutters. "Or I'm leaving."  
"That's no fair!" Lavi protests. "After all we've done…"  
"Don't be so rude, Bakanda." Allen adds.

"Shut it, both of you." Kanda growls.

"And stop fighting, all three of you." Lenalee reprimands.

—

"How's the birthday girl?" Asher asks, appearing seemingly out of nowhere and wiping down her glasses with her lab coat.

"A little nervous." Lenalee admits.  
"Don't be." Asher grins. "Everyone's being kept in line, well, as well as they can be."  
"Which isn't much, if they're anything like us." Lavi mutters, gaining a snicker from Allen.  
"The party starts at six this evening." Asher adds. "Don't be late."

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

Lavi watches scientists and finders wander down the corridor from his spot on a windowsill. The numbing chatter almost putting him to sleep.

"Uh, excuse me."  
Lavi looks up to see a man looking down at him, with obviously asian features and a golden exorcist uniform.  
"Yes?" Lavi responds, sitting up properly.  
"I'm afraid I haven't been here in a while." The man admits. "But I can't seem to find my way to Supervisor Bailey's office." The man smiles sheepishly while absentmindedly playing with a small pen in his hands.  
"Oh, uh…" Lavi barely has to think, thanks to a commonly misplaced beansprout. "It's just down there." He gestures to his right. "Second on the right and down that hallway."  
"Thank you very much." The man gives Lavi a small bow.  
"No problem." Lavi politely smiles, watching the man carefully.

The General starts down the hall, only to turn quickly back to Lavi. "I didn't catch your name."  
"…Jon." Lavi introduces. "Jonathan Myers."  
"Nice to meet you, Jonathan Myers." The man smiles over his shoulder. "Call me Akiyama."

—

"Everyone's started arriving." Asher grins as Lenalee passes her a cup of coffee. "It's going to be a full house."

Lenalee sighs. "I just hope nothing bad happens."

"Knowing us?" Asher laughs. "I'm sure something will."  
"Mm." Lenalee hums, hugging her now empty tray to her chest.  
"Most of them are decent." Asher adds. "Just avoid anyone whole looks too insane."  
"Insane?"  
"Well, I'm sure you'll figure it out."

—

"It seems way more crowded." Allen muses as he and Lavi head down a corridor.

"There's about twice the amount of Finders." Lavi says, just as they passed a pair.

"There's way more people than I'd expected." Allen adds.  
"Well, they probably don't have many parties." Lavi shrugs. "It's been weirdly organised."  
"Not what we're used to, huh?" Allen laughs.  
"A lot can change in just a few years, Al."

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

"Ugh."

A black-cloaked figure glares up at the regal building. Seemingly unaffected by the jolting wave against the boat, he firmly stands his ground. A nervous looking man in a tan coat stands a few meters away, eyeing the exit cautiously.

"W-We'll dock in five minutes."

"…Great."

—

"Where's Yuu?" Lavi wonders, reclining against the cafeteria table.  
"I haven't seen him all day." Lenalee recalls.

"He's probably cranky about all the people here." Allen mutters. "Well, more cranky than usual."

 **"Probably."**

"Ah!" Allen jumps at the sudden voice.  
"Allen?" Lenalee looks at him curiously.

 **"Sorry."**

Allen shakes his head, gesturing to his head before muttering. "Where the hell have you been?"  
 **"You're mad."  
** "Yes, ugh." Allen shakes his head again. _"Yes."  
_ **"Sorry. I was, uh, sleeping?"  
** _"_ _It's been days since I heard you."_

"Al?" Lavi watches Allen's angry expression cautiously.  
"…It's nothing." Allen sighs.

 _"_ _We can talk later.  
_ **"But-"  
** _"_ _Later."_

"Oh, there he is!" Lavi jumps up and waves. "Over here!"  
Kanda, who'd appeared in the doorway, fixes Lavi with a glare as he heads over.

Lavi just laughs and retakes his seat.

"Do you ever stop being stupid?" Kanda demands, sitting across from Lavi.  
"Heh." Lavi laughs again, preparing to speak.  
"Fighting again?" Jefferson appears beside their table.  
" _No_." Lenalee says quickly. "They're _not_."  
"Of course." Lavi grins. "We're the best of friends."  
"Well, that's good." Jefferson laughs. "Bailey wants to see you."

—

"Please try to not be so hostile." Bailey sighs.  
"Fuck that." Lando pushes back his hood, revealing his distinctive red hair underneath. "I don't even want to be here."

"It's only a few hours." Bailey says. "You can leave the moment it's over."  
"I damn well will." Lando scowls.

"Bailey!" Jefferson enters the office. "They're here."  
"Thank you." Bailey rubs his eyes before turning to Lando. "You're free to leave."

"Good." Lando scoffs. "Finally."

—

"Hm?" Allen sees the man first, immediately stunned by the far too familiar shade of red…

"Huh?" Lavi seems to have noticed too, a slight slow in his pace giving him away.  
"What?" The man turns around, a token scowl on his face. Deep red eyes are almost hidden under a pair of wire-frame glasses, sharply reflecting the light.

"Ah, sorry." Bailey stands up. "Lando, these are our new exorcists-"

"I figured that." Lando turns back to the supervisor, seemingly unfazed. "I don't have time for this."

Bailey juts lets out as sigh as the man leaves before turning back to the teens. "I'm sorry about him, he never had very strong peoples skills."  
"We noticed." Lavi says.

"Well, that was Ecan Lando." Bailey adds as the group congregate in front of his desk. "I'm sure you'll see him this evening."  
"Right…" Allen glances over the to exit, absentmindedly scratching at his still-covered left eye.

"Anyway," Bailey dismisses. "I just needed your help with a few things."  
"What kind of things?" Lenalee wonders.  
"Unfortunately, it's paperwork."

—

 **ONE HOUR LATER.**

"Dietary needs? Dietary _preferences_?" Lavi stares at the considerable stack of sheets in front of him. "This is going to take _forever_."

"Criminal records… Medical history…Family history? They're being very thorough."  
"I swear the stack was half the size last time." Lavi groans."  
"Only half?" Allen groans. "This is so boring."  
"Well…" Lavi pushes the stack aside and leans towards Allen. "What do you think of that scary guy?"  
"You mean 'Ecan Lando'?" Lenalee says, mimicking Lavi.

"Yeah." Lavi nods, a small smile on his face. "Look familiar to you?"  
"No kidding." Allen sighs.

"You really think it's him?" Lenalee looks skeptical. "He didn't seem to react."  
"Master always had a pretty god poker face." Allen shrugs, trying to smother any feelings of relief. "But it's hard to tell."  
"You don't say." Lavi sighs loudly. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

—

"How stupid." Lando angrily stalks the hallways, running his hands over his leather gloves. Small metal studs sit at the joints and it almost hums with power. "What the hell are those kids doing here?"

—

 **? HOURS LATER.**

"Done!" Lavi throws his hands into the air. "That took _forever_!"  
"What time is it anyway?" Allen wonders.

"Let's just get out of this damn library." Kanda growls, heading to the exit with his completed papers in hand.  
"And that I can agree with." Lavi grins, heading after the older teen.  
"Come on." Lenalee laughs as she and Allen leave too. "We can't be left behind."

—

 **Sorry for leaving it here, but I'll put the party thing into it's own chapter soon :)**

 **also, like a bajillion people thought that Lando would be Cross. Like, originally he wasn't but I really liked the idea. So this story's kinda gone sideways - but that's ok! It was jsuta blurry concept anyway. So I'm glad for the push!  
Thanks for reading!  
-Cheese Wizzard (❛ ****ੲ** **̆ ❛)**


	17. Chapter 17

**this one's kind of short, but I wanted to finally wrap this all up. It's mostly shoving all the characters down your throat so I apologise for the onslaught of OCs which i personally dislike so sorry.**

 **it'll get a little action-y next, so push through this mush and stuff and i promise it'll get better!  
thanks for reading!**

 **ALLEN 13  
LAVI 17  
LENALEE 16  
KANDA 18**

 **—**

"Hey." Katherine passes in front of Asher's desk.  
"Hm?" Asher looks up from a large volume, glasses half way down her nose. "What?"  
"Seriously?" Katherine grabs the book out of Asher's hands and drops it on the desk. "Mei's party is, like, now."  
"What!?" Asher jumps up immediately, almost tripping over her chair as she scrambles around to Katherine. "'Now' now?"  
"Now." Katherine sighs. "Come on."

—

"…That's a lot of people." Allen stares at the mass within the great hall.

"I think they're all just using this as an excuse to get out of work." Lavi grins.  
"Probably." Allen agrees.

"You think Yuu'll turn up?" Lavi wonders.  
"Lenalee's probably convincing him now." Allen says.  
"Then, they'll be here soon?"

—

"Half an hour." Lenalee finishes. "That's all."  
"…" Kanda scowls, resisting the urge to bite back. " _Fine._ "  
"Good." Lenalee smiles cheerily. "Let's get going."  
"Hmph." Kanda grumpily trails after her as they head to the party.

—

"There they are!" Allen spots the two enter from the entrance not far away.

"You owe me ten bucks."  
"I never agreed to that."

"Hey guys!" Lenalee smiles at them, one hand keeping a firm grip on Kanda's arm.  
"You've gotten faster." Lavi grins.  
"Hm?" Lenalee looks at him confused.  
"Don't listen to him." Allen shoves at the red-head. "He's being stupid."  
"When isn't he?" Kanda mutters.  
"Oh, the agony!" Lavi exclaims. "How could you, my best friend-"

"Shut up." Kanda reaches for Mugen, which is sitting on his waist.  
"No." Lenalee reprimands. "Stop, both of you."

—

"Hey!" Asher waves excitedly at the four, pulling Katherine along behind her.

"Asher!" Lenalee brightens at their appearance. "Katherine!"  
"This turned out bigger than we planned." Asher laughs and gestures to the tightly packed crowds. "Oh well, the more the merrier."  
"And it turns out all the generals came." Katherine adds.  
"All of them?" Lenalee's eyes widen. "Really?"  
"Bailey's with them now." Asher nods. "Want to say hi?"

—

The group find Bailey in a corner, surrounded by five people, all looking a mix of bored or positively ecstatic.  
"Lexer!" Asher calls out, drawing their attention.  
"Asher." Bailey responds, looking somewhat disapproving.  
"Oh!" A grey-haired woman spins around with alarming speed. "Hello!"

"Mari!" Asher happily exclaims. "These are the new exorcists."  
"Hi there!" The older woman smiles kindly, her hands fiddling with a pair of black knitting needles. "It's so nice to meet you all."  
"Guys," Asher turns to the four. "This is Marianne Toole, one of our generals."

"That's right!" Marianne laughs. "Surprising, isn't it?"  
"Well, this is Mei," Asher gestures. "Jonathan, Akai, and Rey."  
"Nice to meet you." Allen says politely.  
"The pleasure's all mine." Marianne laughs again. "You're a sweet bunch, aren't you."  
"Sweet?" Lavi lets out a quiet laugh, eyes darting towards Kanda.

"Hello again." A man casually greets Lavi, appearing from behind Marianne.

"Oh, it's you! Akiyama, right?" Lavi immediately recognises the man. "You're a general?"  
"Indeed I am." The man nods. "I am Miyani Akiyama."  
"I guess you found Bailey alright." Lavi grins.  
"It seems so."  
"You know each other?" Asher buts into the conversation, one eyebrow raised in curiosity.  
"Somewhat."

"Whassat?" A girl with curly blond hair, bumps into Asher.  
"Tasha!" Asher steadies her. "Are you already drunk?"  
"Noooooo…" Tasha shakes her head. "'Course naht."  
"It's been ten minutes." Katherine rolls her eyes. "I don't know why I'm surprised."  
"That's Tasha Krantz." Asher whispers and points to the large lamp-post slung over her shoulder. "And that's her Innocence, if you were unsure."

"Che." Kanda doesn't look impressed. "The quality's gone down."  
"Hm?" Asher looks at him confused.  
"Nothing." Kanda shakes his head.  
"You're just salty." Lavi half whispers. "Don't worry, we'll have their jobs soon."  
"You're very confident." A voice chimes in suddenly, almost startling Lavi.

A man stares down at them, his slicked back hair shining in the light. Green eyes look at the four dissapprovingly, matched with an equally sour looking face.  
"Nobody asked you, Sebastian." Tasha slurs and pokes at the stiff man.  
"Don't touch me."  
"Or what?" Tasha grins playfully.  
"Ugh." Sebastian stalks off, keeping his head high enough to see the clouds.  
"Jerk." Tasha shrugs before downing another glass of… something.

"Sebastian Zilberschlag." Asher shakes her head. "Biggest, uh, douche in the Black Order."  
"No kidding." Lavi's expression looks curdled.  
"He'll likely avoid you anyway." Asher adds. "So don't worry about seeing him much."  
"Good." Allen lets out a breath.

"Somehow…" Another man appears, looking at Asher curiously. "I'm not surprised you instigated this."  
"Rob!" Asher happily greets the man.

"And exactly who's birthday is it?" Rob's eyes wander over to the teens.

"Mine." Lenalee answers, smiling politely.

"Robert Corra." Rob extends a hand to Lenalee, which she takes.

"Mei Myong." Lenalee introduces, taking Rob's hand. The man's wearing gloves, like Allen's, but just by looking at him, Lenalee can tell why. Thick, dark scars run across his face and down his neck. They barely miss his eyes but slightly distort all his features. Regardless, he carries a kind smile and he has a firm grip.

"Pleasure." Rob nods. "And the rest of you?"

—

After another round of introductions, the generals all disappear into the crowd, leaving a tired Bailey behind.

"Tired already?" Asher teases the man.

"No." Bailey glares at her, rubbing his head.

"Liar." Asher shakes her head before turning to the four. "You're free to do whatever, I think there's a few more exorcists scattered around if you want to say hi."

—

"What now?" Allen sits on an empty chair against the wall.

"I'm not sure." Lenalee admits. "There's more people here than I'd expected."  
"We should try and find the other exorcists." Lavi suggests. "Maybe we'd recognise some of them."  
"I hadn't thought of that!" Lenalee perks up. "Then let's do that!"  
"Ladies first." Lavi gestures to the mass of people.

"Oi, get going." Allen uses his foot to push Kanda forward, who's already heavily glowering.

"What was that you little-"

"Okay!" Lavi claps his hands and pulls Allen up. "Let's get going."  
"Yes, let's!" Lenalee grabs Kanda's wrist and pulls him away.

"Let go, Lavi!"  
"I'll get you, damn moyashi!"

—

The four awkwardly speak to each black-coated figure in the crowd, introducing them selves far too many times. Each exorcist are a mix of curious and dismissive, some more than others.

"How many is that?" Lenalee tiredly looks over to Lavi. "We must be almost done."  
"Let's see…" Lavi starts counting on his fingers. "Tyron Kouman, Sigihard Shannon, Konrád Rey, Alanna Korrapati, Aalis Ruoho, Tarren Shea, Arthur Ainsworth, Sal Aafjes, and Peter Abdullah. With everyone else we've already met, that's eighteen people."

"Including us, that's twenty-two." Allen adds. "That seems about average."

"I guess." Lenalee nods. "I hope that's everyone, I'd hate to miss anyone out."  
"I wouldn't." Kanda scowls. "I'm leaving."  
"Why!?" Lenalee demands.  
"It's been an hour." Kanda points out. "So, I'm leaving."  
"Has it?" Lenalee checks the watch on her wrist. "Oh, okay then."  
"Hmph." Kanda stalks off, disappearing into the crowd.

—

The party slowly continued. People milled about and the trio returned to Asher and Katherine for the rest of the evening. The two would constantly make comments about people passing by, so they weren't short of entertainment. Eventually, a large cake was brought out and Lenalee cut it open in front of everyone.

"Smile!" Jefferson holds up a camera and points it at the cake and surrounding group. As the camera clicks, Lenalee smiles brighter than she has in a long while; they all do.

But then, not a second later, the entire hall exploded.

* * *

 **I would've written more, but what happens next I want in a separate chappie.**

 **thanks for dealing with it. and thanks for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard** (ノ￣ー￣)ノ


	18. Chapter 18

**yea i made sure this one would come out quick. I already had some of it written so I throughout i'd finish it up.**

 **soon we'll have some more familiar faces around, and i for one am looking forward to it. ;)**

* * *

 **ALLEN 13  
LAVI 17  
LENALEE 16  
KANDA 18**

 **—**

The blast completely obliterates the outward wall. Debris flies into the air, threatening the panicked mass of people underneath. The darkness outside masks any perpetrator, but there are other things to worry about.

"Dark Boots!" Lenalee cries out instinctively, her Innocence activating in a spilt second of shining light. One leg propels her upwards as the other slams into the nearest piece of wall, smashing it into harmless dust.

"Iron Hammer! Grow!" Lavi's hammer bursts into form, immediately growing many times its own size. The black mass smashes into the debris, all the while covering those next to him.

"Dazzling Light!" A voice cries out almost instantaneously and a blinding light fills the hall. A suddenly sober looking Tasha jumps above them, her mottled green streetlight glaring brightly. The yellow light swirls unnaturally and warps in the air.

"Whoa." Lavi stares as the rock and glass slowly come to a stop in mid air, encasing in sparkling light.

"Black Ink!" Akiyama holds out his black pen, which is releasing an amazing amount of ink. The blackness spears towards the rubble, staining it and breaking it into dust.

"Come on." Rob gestures to the three stunned teens. "Best get out of the way."

—

As the hall is slowly evacuated and rubble-situation dealt with, a figure finally appears through the gap.

"It's a level three." Tasha groans loudly. "What a pain! I need another drink."  
"How about we get rid of it first?" Akiyama pats her on the back.

—

"Be right back." Rob runs back to the generals, leaving the three near the back wall.

"That was intense." Lavi lets out a breath. "I'm glad it didn't turn out worse."  
"Me too." Lenalee nods sadly. "I hope no one got hurt."

"Urk."  
"Huh?" Lavi looks over to Allen, who's rubbing his covered eye anxiously. "Al? What's up?"  
Allen doesn't respond but starts pulling at the bandages, unrolling them off of his head.  
"Allen?" Lenalee looks on nervously.  
"Something's wrong." Allen shakes his head.  
"What is it?" Lenalee takes a nervous step forwards.  
"I-I don't…" Allen finishes pulling the bandages free, leaving just the patch taped over his eye. "I don't think there's just one."  
"What?" Lavi glances over at the generals, who are just about the finish the level three off.  
"Where?" Lenalee asks nervously.

"I-I don't know." Allen scowls and tears off the patch. With a flash of red light, a pair of spinning gears appear over his reddened iris. In that second, Allen whirls around, looking all around them. "T-They're everywhere."

—

"Look out!" Rob looks away from the Akuma to see the young exorcists running over to them. That boy's eye definitely didn't look like that before. But right now that doesn't matter.

"What is it?" Tasha lazily turns to follow his gaze. "What're they doing?"  
"There's more!" Lenalee cries out. "They've surrounded the building!"  
"Shit-" Rob barely has time to swear before another set of explosions rock the building from all sides.

"What!?" Akiyama, who'd just destroyed the first level three, turns to his comrades.  
"Split up!" Tasha just shouts, speeding towards the west side.  
"Got it!" Akiyama rushes towards the other direction without hesitation.

"Hey!" Rob jogs over to the three. "Think you can lend a hand?"

—

 **TEN MINUTES LATER.**

"Come on!" Lavi runs down the corridor, Iron Hammer at the ready.  
"That way!" Allen points to their left. "Four level twos!"  
"Take this!" Lavi skids to a stop. "Fire Stamp!"

The four Akuma fade to ash in an instant, before they'd even had time to react.  
"Where now?" Lenalee looks at Allen.

"Keep going forward." Allen supplies.

"Somehow," Lavi darts forward. "I don't think this is natural."  
"Nor normal." Allen agrees.

"Think it was the Noah's idea?" Lenalee wonders.  
"Why'd they do it though?" Lavi shakes his head. "They'd usually lead the charge, especially for a group this big."  
"Seeing how they are, we'd probably have spotted them by now."

"Agreed." Lavi nods.  
"What if this wasn't a serious attack?" Lenalee says. "I mean, they couldn't expect something like this to-"  
"Heads up!" Allen suddenly calls out, just as a level two falls from the ceiling.  
"-defeat us, right?" Lenalee finishes as the digs her heels into the Akuma, smashing it to pieces.  
"That seems about right." Lavi agrees as the three continue forward.  
"Well, let's worry about it later." Lenalee decides.

—

 **FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.**

Cleaning out the building took a surprisingly short amount of time. The Akuma barely had time to invade the inner corridors before they were swiftly destroyed.

"It's probably because all the generals are here." Lavi suggests.  
"That's right." Lenalee nods. "One left with the Finders and the other left beforehand."  
"Yuu was also somewhere, right?" Lavi adds. "Probably took care of any near him."

"Oh yeah." Allen nods as he ties a fresh bandage over his eye.

"You're still doing that?" Lavi raises an eyebrow. "Y'know you got busted by those three generals in the hall, right?"  
"Maybe they'll forget?" Allen says hopefully, tying the last knot.

"Guess we'll see." Lavi shrugs. "Speaking of, shouldn't we regroup or something?"  
"Probably." Lenalee looks out through the broken window and out into the dark sea outside. Rubble sits on the coastline and cliff. From what she can see of the rest of the building, it's similar everywhere.

"Where even are we?" Allen wonders, staring at the copy-pasted hallway.  
"East wing." Lavi answers. "About fifteen minutes walk to the science offices."  
"I guess we should start walking."

—

 **FIVE MINUTES LATER.**

The three head down another corridor, with Lavi in the lead. As they turn another corner, someone becomes visible at its end.

"Hey! You guys okay?" Katherine spots the trio and jogs over to them.

"Ah, we're fine." Lavi reassures with a grin as she stops in front of them.

"Good." Katherine says. "You'd better be."

"Is everyone else okay?" Lenalee asks anxiously. "Did anyone get hurt?"  
"Not that I know of." Katherine nods. "Don't worry about it."

"Where's Asher?" Lavi wonders. "I thought you two were connected at the hip."  
"Hilarious." Katherine shakes her head. "I don't know, she's probably with Bailey or something."

"Were you heading to his office then?" Lenalee asks.  
"Yeah." Katherine says. "Figured I should find out what the fuck happened."

—

The group slowly make their way to the office, avoiding piles of rubble and demolished hallways.

"I figured it was some cocky Akuma a the start." Katherine admits angrily. "Then there were fucking dozens of them fucking everywhere."

"We noticed." Lavi says.  
"I hope Bailey knows what went down." Katherine scowls.  
"So this has never happened before?" Lenalee asks.  
"Not that I know of." Katherine answers. "Not for a long while."  
"So this is quite unusual." Lavi says thoughtfully. "It was quite pointless as well."  
"Pointless?" Katherine looks at him. "What makes you say that?"  
"Well, apart from smashing a few walls," Lavi explains. "They didn't achieve much, especially for so many of them."  
"And?"  
"I figured that the Earl would tend to use 'em better." Lavi continues. "You know, instead of pointless attacks of hundreds, only to be decimated, he'd send them to make more of 'em."  
"That…makes sense, I guess." Katherine shrugs. "So, what do you think?"  
"He's testing us." Lavi says. "He wants to see how much force he needs to use."  
"I see." Katherine nods. "He's seeing how much we can take."  
"Seems like it." Lavi says. "I bet you anything that there were more Akuma involved, likely watching from afar to go report what happened."

Of course, Allen had already confirmed that with Lavi, but she didn't need to know that part.

—

 **TWENTY MINUTES LATER.**

As the teen exorcists head to their rooms to rest, Katherine recalls her conversation with Jon.

"I see." Bailey nods slowly. "I'll admit, that makes a lot of sense."  
"If he's got that much force for a whim, I'd hate to see if he was fully serious." Katherine adds.

"There's millions of Akuma around the world." Bailey sighs. "Sometimes, I think he could take us all out in under a day, if he wanted."  
"Not to mention his legion of Noah." Katherine says.

"Oh, don't be so down." Asher slaps Katherine on the back with a _bit_ too much force. "We're still here to work another day and that's what counts!"  
"If you say so." Katherine shakes her head.

"Well, I am glad that no one was injured." Bailey says. "We got lucky."  
"But that just goes to show, out defences need a lot of work." Katherine adds. "They got into the building before we could do anything about it."  
"We were supposed to have people watching the security cameras." Bailey says, annoyed. "We had people watching the perimeter. I don't understand."  
"Didn't the old buildings have like," Asher says. "those cool magic defences."  
"Which have been lost for decades." Bailey shakes his head. "We don't even know where to start."  
"Don't you?" Asher smiles.  
"Asher…" Bailey looks at her suspiciously. "What have you done?"  
"What have I-" Asher huffs. "You think so little of me, Lexer."  
"What have you done?" Bailey repeats.

"I found this." Asher drops a black journal on Bailey's desk.  
"You're still reading those?" Katherine looks at Asher incredulously.  
"Yes." Asher says. "And I found something interesting."

—

"Who should we send?" Bailey wonders. "Since there's three sites, we need to split into three groups, but we should have a few in each group, we don't really know what to expect, what about-"

"Lexer." Asher snaps her fingers in front of his eyes. "Firstly, relax. Secondly, relax."  
"I know." Bailey pushes her hand away.  
"Just treat it like normal." Katherine suggests. "Like it's another piece on Innocence or another Akuma infestation. You _know_ how to deal with this."

"…I know."

—

 **THE NEXT DAY.**

"China?" Lavi flicks through the relatively thin file. "Like, now?"  
"We're in a bit of a rush." Bailey apologises. "But we're sure it won't take longer than a few days."

"Most of our other exorcists already had pre-set missions, which they'll leave for today." Asher adds. "You're our only hope."

"What is it we're looking for, exactly?" Lenalee asks, glancing at the sheets in Lavi's hands.  
"Well, about forty years ago," Bailey explains. "Our Asian branch's guardian went missing."  
"Just like that." Asher snaps her fingers. "With no explanation."  
"But we recently found some clues to where it might be." Bailey finishes. "And we need you to try and find it."  
"Doesn't sound too hard." Lavi snaps the file shut.  
"I'm glad you're so for it." Bailey smiles. "You'll leave this afternoon, at two."

—

"You'll head to our old headquarters in London." Bailey passes Kanda the file. "We thought that the tunnels underneath had been caved in or abandoned, but apparently they're hiding what we're looking for."  
"And what are you looking for?" Allen asks.

"At our… _very_ old headquarters, there was an enchanted gatekeeper." Bailey explains. "While some records report its destruction, our new information suggests that it was locked or trapped underground. At least, some part of it is."  
"Why do you need it?" Kanda asks.  
"If we can determine what spells or mechanics were involved, we hope to form a larger copy, to help protect us here."

—

* * *

 **yeah so that happened. the missions will go over a couple chaps so Yay plot is happening.**

 **okay, thanks for reading! plz say if there's any typos or grammar shtuff.**

 **thank.**

 **-Cheese Wizzard.** (Г・ω・)г


	19. Chapter 19

**I apologise for Neah's inconsistent appearances. He's not completely necessary most of the time. But he'll pop up every now and then. If you want less or more of him, please tell me. I don't really know what he should be doing. :\ Thanks for reading!**

 **—**

 **ALLEN 13  
LAVI 17  
LENALEE 16  
KANDA 18**

 **—**

"I can't believe they're making me go with _you_." Allen can't help but mutter as they exit Bailey's office.  
"Shut it, beansprout." Kanda retorts. "Neither of us are happy about this."  
"Hmph." Allen looks away, taking an obvious step away from Kanda, even as they head straight down the hallway.  
"…Old headquarters, huh?" Kanda shakes his head. "Dammit, of all places…"  
"Then, this should be easy." Allen adds. "Since we've been down all those tunnels before."  
"Like you'd remember." Kanda growls.  
"What was that?"  
"Your sprout brain could never remember how to get around."  
"At least I can remember people's names, Bakanda!"  
"Hah? What did you call me?"

"Guys?" Lavi awkwardly watches the two from the end of the hallway.  
"Hey!" Lenalee, who'd been standing next to him, stalks over after shoving their file back at Lavi.  
"Lenalee?" Allen stops as he spots her approaching.  
"What?" Kanda's scowl redirects to follow Allen's gaze, meaning he unfortunately met with a disapproving Lenalee.  
"I wish I could leave you two alone for _five minutes-_ "  
"He started it!" Allen defends, pointing an accusatory finger at Kanda.  
"I don't care." Lenalee shakes her head. "Really, after all this time, I'd've hoped you guys'd've learnt to cool your heads!"  
"…Sorry." Allen apologises, shooting Kanda one last glare.  
"Whatever." Kanda lets out a breath. "I'm leaving."

—

"That was fun." Lavi saunters over as Kanda powers past him.  
"Did you get a mission too?" Lenalee turns to Allen.  
"Oh, yeah." Allen holds up the folder in his hands. "We're heading to the old headquarters!"  
"Like, _our_ old headquarters?" Lavi asks.  
"Yeah." Allen nods. "Apparently they think that the gatekeeper might be still there."  
"After all this time?" Lenalee says, surprised.  
"I don't really know." Allen shrugs. "But we're going to check anyway."

"We're heading to China." Lenalee explains. "I think they want us to go find Fo."  
"But I thought…" Allen scowls. "Are they sure?"  
"I don't think so." Lenalee shakes her head.  
"But there's only one way to find out!" Lavi cheerily interjects. "Right?"

—

 **A FEW HOURS LATER.**

 ** _You seem surprisingly happy._**

"Why would you say that?" Allen mutters under his breath.

 ** _I don't know. I thought you'd be less compliant._**

"Why? It's fine."

 ** _Is it? You realise I'm literally in your head. I_** **know** ** _when you're lying to me._**

"I'm not lying to you."

 ** _Or when you're lying to yourself._**

"Drop it."

 ** _…_** ** _Fine._**

"Oi." Kanda jabs at the unresponsive teen.  
"What?" Allen snaps, glaring at Kanda.  
"We're leaving." Kanda points at the white gate in front of them.  
"Right." Allen shakes his head. He was _not_ lying to himself, dammit!  
"Go." Kanda jabs him again, pushing him forward.  
"I'm going!" Allen scowls and storms through.  
"What's your problem?" Kanda quickly appears beside him, now inside the Ark.  
"Nothing." Allen replies. "No problem."  
"For once, you're being a shitty liar." Kanda shakes his head. "Whatever. Let's just get this over with."  
"Was that a hidden compliment?" Allen takes the opportunity to smile. "You think I'm a good liar?"  
"Shut up, beansprout." Kanda shoves the teen away, resulting in a bark of laughter.

"U-Um…" A nervous Finder looks on, at a complete loss. They hadn't had such young exorcists in years.  
"Ah, right." Allen spins around to face the woman. "Lead the way, please!"

 ** _Don't you already know that way?_**

 _"Weren't you leaving me alone?"_

 ** _I never agreed to that._**

 _"_ _It's called trying not to get caught."_

 ** _Hm. Boring._**

 _"_ _Ah, but with a far lower mortality rate."_

 ** _Hmph. Whatever._**

 _"_ _That's what I thought."_

 _—_

They eventually reach a black door, with a faded black nameplate. Allen still remembers Komui having it installed and completely forgetting to take it down once they'd moved.  
"Here we are." The Finder gestures towards the door. "T-There are more personnel already on site."  
"Really?" Allen says. "You're not coming?"  
"W-Well…" The woman explains. "While most of it is off limits to the public, a large part of it has been converted into an… educational centre."

"Huh?" Allen glances over at Kanda. "I didn't know about that."  
"That's because you don't pay attention." Kanda scowls.  
"There's a lot of tourism." The Finder adds. "B-But you won't have to worry about that!"

—

"Bullshit." Kanda swears at the swells of people around them. The moment they'd left the gate, they'd landed in a soundproofed room, full of tough-looking guards. Only, once they'd left through the only exit, they'd been forced back outside.

"What the…" Allen stares at the renovated building, most of which had been rubble the last time he'd been here - which, fairly, had been almost fifty years prior.  
"Great." Kanda scowls. "This place is a fucking mess."  
"I wonder where the Finders are…" Allen tries to spot them in the mass of bored students and curious tourists.  
"You're worried about that?" Kanda almost looks offended.  
"I thought you knew about this place?" Allen wonders.  
"I _did_." Kanda shakes his head. "I didn't know they'd turned it into this colossal _shit-show-_ "  
"Ever since the Order went public, things changed pretty fast." Allen adds. "I wish I were more surprised."

—

Eventually a Finder found them and directed them away from the crowds. They soon began down a familiar stairway, illuminated by flickering fires against the stone walls.  
"I apologise for the light quality. We're still trying to put those out." The Finder says, pointing to the fires. "We planned to have artificial lighting added, but they won't budge."

After about ten minutes of walking, they reach an open area. An ancient looking dock lies against the surface of black water. A half demolished boat still sits tied to one of the support poles.

"There are more spaces that way." The Finder points down the dock, which continues into near darkness. "Some of them are still blocked off by rubble, unfortunately, but most are open."

"Let's go." Kanda starts forward, a sour look on his face.

"Aye, aye." Allen hurries after him.

—

Similarly, on the other side of the world, Lavi lets out a loud groan.  
"We're lost." He announces, dropping his yellow-stained map onto the ground.  
"We're not." Lenalee grabs the paper. "The geography probably just changed a bit since this was made."  
"More than a bit." Lavi says. "I'm not even sure we're in the right place."

A bright green jungle surrounds the pair, stretching off into all directions. Bamboo and other vibrant plants merge together to form a inconceivable mass of green; everywhere looks exactly the same.

"Do you remember the way back?" Lenalee asks, tucking the map into her pocket.  
"Sure." Lavi nods.  
"Then, there's no harm in going a little further." Lenalee decides, starting in that direction.  
"…I guess."

—

 **FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER.**

"Ugh." Lavi glances behind them. "Anything?"  
"…No." Lenalee pulls the map back out. "There must be _something_ that can tell us where we are."  
"I could try looking over the trees." Lavi points upwards. "In case there's something I recognise."  
"Do it." Lenalee nods.

Lavi activates Iron Hammer and easily stands on its head. After a quick command, he's elevated through the overhead branches and above the canopy. A quick sweep reveals little new information. The land behind them looks the same as the land ahead, save for… something not far to their right.

"Anything?" Lenalee asks as he drops back down, wiping stray leaves off of his coat.  
"There's something weird…that way." Lavi points.  
"Something weird?"  
"A bunch of rocks." Lavi explains. "But, something tells me that they're not natural."

—

It only takes a few minutes of walking to reach their destination; an abnormally round clearing. Think sheets of rock sit around the edges, heading straight upwards and covered in ancient carvings.

"This looks promising." Lavi decides, heading to the nearest stone.  
"What are these?" Lenalee stares wondrously, heading into the middle of the clearing.  
"No idea!" Lavi grins. "Let's find out."

After a few minutes of investigating, Lavi still comes up with a blank. This, of course, makes him _very_ excited. It was rare to find something he'd never read about or experienced himself. But, maybe this wasn't the best time for it.  
"So?" Lenalee looks over at him hopefully. "Find anything?"  
"Nope." Lavi shakes his head. "But I'm sure we'll find something."  
"…Okay." Lenalee goes back to inspecting the edge of the clearing.

"What if I tried moving them?" Lavi mutters to himself. "No, that'd probably ruin it. They seem very specifically placed… The trees and grass part in a perfect circle. Seems relevant. Looks natural, so it isn't anything too… 'forceful'…"

Lenalee watches the grass transition to grey stones in the clearing. Small flowers lie on the edges, coloured a vibrant purple. Not even a wind seems to be able to enter, creating the perfectly empty space: except for the carvings, of course. Lenalee wanders back over to them, resting on hand over the smooth surface. They seem very well done for rock carvings.

"Hey, Lena!" Lavi calls her over with a wave. "Look at this!" He points to a symbol towards the bottom of a certain rock.  
"What is it?" Lenalee crouches down for a better look.  
"These are sorcery symbols!" Lavi excitedly explained. "I don't recognise any others, but these I've definitely seen before."  
"In the Asian Branch!" Lenalee jumps up. "I've seen this before!"  
"Which means," Lavi grins. "We're at the right place."

—

 **aaand that's a wrap! It's a little short, but it came out fast sooooooo yeah, no complaining!**

 **thanks for reading everyone!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard** (ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ


	20. Chapter 20

**Chappie 20! I'm surprised I made it this far tbh. :3 a special thanks to all my followers and readers who have made it this far! Okay, now on to the story!**

 **:D**

 **—**

 **ALLEN 13  
LAVI 17  
LENALEE 16  
KANDA 18**

 **—**

"This isn't working." Allen sighs.  
"Stop complaining." Kanda says, kicking down the another door.  
"But you've been complaining this whole time!" Allen defends. "I wanted a turn."  
"Shut up." Kanda scans the room with a huff.  
"How'd we lose something that big anyway?" Allen wonders.  
"Almost everyone is an idiot." Kanda says. "That's how."  
"Right." Allen heads further down the corridor. "I wish there were still people who knew their way around…"

"Oi." Kanda appears back outside the storage room. "Get back over here."  
"What?" Allen follows after him and heads into the dark room. "Find something?"  
"Maybe." Kanda kicks a few stray boxes out of the way.

Underneath, a trapdoor glows eerily, the wood covered in weird symbols.

"That's promising." Allen decides, crouching down next to it. "Open it."  
"You open it." Kanda scowls.  
"What if it's dangerous?" Allen stands back up. "You do it."  
"Stupid beansprout." Kanda mutters, pulling out a sheathed Mugen.  
A quick jab smashes the aged wood, raining splinters down into the large space below. A rope ladder hangs down, looking anything but sturdy.  
"Now you go." Kanda steps back.  
"What?" Allen barley has time to turn to look at him before a quick push throws him into the dark depths below.

—

"What do we do now?" Lenalee steps away from the symbols.  
"Hm…" Lavi shrugs. "I don't know."  
"Maybe we can call Asher." Lenalee suggests, fishing through her pockets for her golem. "Or Grace. They might be able to help out."  
"Yeah, maybe…"

After a minute, Lenalee gets her black golem to try and make contact. It takes a few seconds of static, but they get a quick response. A small hologram appears in front of them, containing a nervous looking woman.

" _Hello?_ "  
"Grace? Is that you?" Lenalee smiles.  
" _Mei? Oh, hello. Is something wrong? D-Did something happen!?"  
_ "No! We're fine." Lenalee reassures. "But we need some help."  
" _Help? With what?_ "  
"Here." Lavi grabs the golem and points it towards the symbols. "We found these."  
" _Oh! I've seen these before…_ " Grace disappears off screen, accompanied by the sounds of rustling papers. _"A-Asher just found all these old documents, and I-I think they're on here somewhere…_ "  
"There's some more around here." Lenalee adds. "In a circle."

" _Ah ha!"_ Grace reappears triumphantly. " _Yes, a circle, good!_ "  
"Is it?"  
" _You need to, uh…_ " Grace holds up a yellowed paper, covered in symbols. _"I think you need to trace these across the ground. It should connect with the others already there._ "  
"That's great!" Lenalee smiles. "Thanks so much, Grace!"  
" _N-No problem!"_ Grace smiles back. _"I'm happy to help!"_

—

"Woah." Allen stares at the surprisingly clean cavern.  
"What's down there?" Kanda asks, looking through the small gap.  
"Come down and look, Bakanda." Allen glares up at him. "I'm looking around."  
"Che." Kanda easily drops down.  
"See? It wasn't hard." Allen says.  
"Shut up." Kanda turns away from him to look around.

The cavern is a large, seemingly perfect cube. Columns stand at various intervals around the edges, striped in red and blue. More fires illuminate the space, however these glow white and fill the entire cavern.  
"Hello!?" Allen's voice echoes off the walls.

"Was that necessary?" Kanda glares at him.  
"If the Gatekeeper's here, he would've heard." Allen says. "He could still talk, last I saw him."

"We don't even know if he's here." Kanda says. "Or even in one piece. I doubt he can-"  
" **Hello?** "  
"Oh, for fucks sake."

A large grinding sound fills the cavern, accompanied by a figure appearing opposite them.  
"Gatekeeper!" Allen immediately recognises it, even with its face full of cracks and worn with age.  
" **O-Oh, it's** ** _you_** **.** " The Gatekeeper turns away from Allen.  
"Hey!" Allen makes a face.  
"Stupid thing." Kanda starts towards it. "Get back here!"  
" **A-Ah!** " He lets out a shrill cry. " **N-Not you too!** "  
"Shut up!" Kanda pulls out Mugen and points it at the Gatekeeper.  
"Yeah!" Allen jogs over.  
"You shut up too." Kanda glares at him.  
"Jeez…"

—

"Almost done." Lavi says, using the handle of his hammer to dig into the ground.  
The pattern of complex symbols intertwine across the earth, but all align with those in the stones.  
"There." Lavi jumps back, standing by Lenalee just out of the clearing. "What now?"  
"Grace said that that should be it…" Lenalee says. "Are you sure you got everything?"  
"Positive." Lavi immediately says.  
"Well then…"  
"Oh."

A bright blue glow emanates from the markings, starting at the middle and then spanning outwards. The ground seems to shiver as the light becomes harsher and brighter. As the exorcists cover their eyes, the grey stones shake and begin to rise, along with the rock underneath. The hidden structure consists of layers and twisted patterns, complete with a hollow space underneath.

As the light fades, the hidden room becomes completely visible.  
"Cool!" Lavi grins widely. "Let's take a closer look."

The two head forward, dodging the wayward columns, and head underneath the ex-clearing. A completely circular room is formed completely out of grey stone and is covered in intricate patterns.  
"There!" Lenalee spots it first, a small pedestal in the middle, holding a shining blue stone.  
"Nice!" Lavi jogs over.  
"What should we do?" Lenalee looks at it nervously.  
"I hope nothing bad happens…" Lavi says, staring intently.  
"What?" Lenalee looks at him.

Lavi grabs the stone.

—

" **So you're** ** _sure_** **that I don't know you two?** "  
"Yes." Allen nods. "See, we only met you today, right?" He jabs at Kanda.  
"Yes, fine." Kanda pushes Allen away. "So, let's get out of here."  
" **Hm…okay.** " The Gatekeeper nods. " **I would have left myself, but the exit's too small and I don't have any limbs.** "  
"We'll get you out." Allen reassures. "Or, we'll get the Finders to do it."  
"Go get them." Kanda orders, taking a spot against the wall.  
"Ugh, fine." Allen scowls and heads back to the trapdoor.

It took a few minutes, but Allen soon returned with a squad of Finders.  
"Hello…" The Gatekeeper greets them, his form now as far away from Kanda as possible.  
"Took your time." Kanda scowls.  
"These guys'll get him out of here." Allen says.  
"Why are _we_ even here?" Kanda says.  
"Asher did say something about…bonding." Allen pulls a face.  
"Great."

—

"Lavi!" Lenalee cries out in surprise.  
"It's fine!" Lavi reassures, the stone clasped firmly in both his hands.  
"Uh, Lavi?" Lenalee points to his hands, where a blue light has relit.

The light slowly swells, softer than before, but just as bright. The glow seems to materialise and solidify, forming a vaguely humanoid shape above the teens.

"Fou?" Lenalee takes a step back as the light begins to dim.  
" _Hah!?_ " A familiar voice resonated from the form.  
The figure lowers to the ground and, with a renewed flash of light, fully solidifies.  
"What the hell!?" Fou carries a deep scowl as she stretches out her arms.  
"Uh, hey." Lavi lowers his hands, leaving the stone in his right hand.  
"Huh?" Fou finally looks up at the two. "Holy shit."

—

The two return to the outside, where there are still masses of people just out of the restricted area.

"Maybe we can take a look around." Allen suggests.  
"You can if you want." Kanda shakes his head. "I'm waiting here."  
"If you're so sure." Allen shrugs. "I'm going to see what's happening here."

Allen wanders into the crowd after stripping his far too eye-catching coat and leaving it by the Ark gate. He still doesn't seem completely in place, with his white dress shirt and grey vest, but it was an improvement.

The castle-like building has half of it renovated into modern steel rooms, connected with glass hallways and outdoor spaces. The once disconnected island has a giant bridge connecting it to the mainland, which connects to the artificial balconies expanding the available space.

Allen doesn't really know how to feel about it. He should probably be upset at what they did to what was his previous home, like Kanda, but the slow destruction or desertion of all his homes across the years have left him desensitised. That's probably not good.

—

"Lenalee… Lee?" Fou looks at the girl disbelievingly. "Impossible."  
"Not quite." Lavi says.  
"Bookman Junior." Fou looks at him distrustfully. "What's going on?"  
"…We're not too sure." Lenalee admits.

"You shouldn't be here." Fou sighs. "You're meant to be… dead."  
"I've told myself that more times than I can count." Lenalee says.  
"Wait." Fou looks over at Lavi. "How many times? How many times have you been here?"

It takes a little while for Lavi to explain, with Lenalee chipping in at points. They eventually find themselves sitting cross-legged on the ground. Fou's expression darkens with every word the two say, absentmindedly tapping the ground.  
"Who else knows?" She asks.  
"Hevlaska." Lenalee says. "That's it."  
"That's…probably good." Fou nods.  
"But, remember what Allen told us?" Lavi adds. "He said that Road recognised him."  
"That's definitely bad." Fou lets out a breath. "Dammit."

"I guess we should head back soon." Lenalee says. "What time is it?"  
"Six-thirty." Lavi answers. "You're right, we should head back."  
"Guess I gotta come too." Fou mutters. "Here." She holds out her hand to Lavi. "Give it."  
"Oh, right." Lavi passes her the spirit stone.

"I assume everything's the same, back there." Fou says, pocketing the stone.  
"Just about." Lenalee smiles.  
"Oh, I completely forgot." Lavi smacks himself in the head. "Fou." He looks at her. "Why were you stuck underground anyway?"  
"Oh." Fou scowls. "The last of the Chan clan passed away." She says it nonchalantly.

"I'm so sorry, Fou." Lenalee bows her head.  
"It's not that big of a deal." Fou looks away. "The last one was a nutter, decided to put me away since basically everything is electronic now."  
"And they just left you?" Lavi says.  
"Yeah." Fou shrugs. "But, from what you told me, it seems they didn't know where I was; it doesn't bother me."  
"Okay…" Lenalee stands up. "Then, let's get going."  
"Lead the way."

—

The first thing Allen finds is the remains of the hall, which is in surprisingly good shape.  
People mill about, looking at the walls and architecture, but mostly they're looking at the graves.

White crosses stand scattered across the checkered ground, all with cursive names carved into them.

Allen wanders over to the nearest one, curious as to what they say.

"…Brigitte Fey, Assistant Chief Supervisor, 1857-1891." Of course he remembers her. Central brought her in and made her chase after Komui as his assistant at the same time as Link.

"Then, these people are…" Allen takes a step back, surveying some of the other names.

Mark Barrows. Rob Neal. Marvin Huskin. They're all members of the Order. Though, Allen doubts that every one of them are here…

"These are the 'white crosses'." An unfamiliar voice startles Allen, causing him to spin around.

A kind looking woman looks down at him, her short cut hair dyed a blond and a staff badge on her chest.  
"O-Oh." Allen nods. "What does that mean?"  
"While they worked for the Order, they did enough to be officially recognised and buried here." The woman explains. "Likely they made great innovations in technology or things like that."  
"I see…" Allen turns back to Brigitte's cross. He wonders what amazing thing she did, not to be rude, but the only thing he'd seen her do was nag Komui…

"Interested?" The woman raises an eyebrow.  
"Oh, right. Yes." Allen nods. "I never heard of this."  
"It's not very widely known, no." The woman shakes her head. "Most people don't care much for the personal other than the exorcists." She lets out a sharp laugh. "I guess it's because they're the flashiest."  
"Right." Allen says.  
"Are you from one of the school groups?" She asks.  
"No." Allen replies. "I'm here with a friend. He's a little disinterested, though."  
"Pity." She smiles. "There are some pretty interesting things here."  
"I assume you work here?" Allen says.  
"That's right." She nods and holds out her hand. "Makayla Winters. I work as a tour guide."  
"Ray Martin." Allen shakes it.

"I have another group coming in a minute." Makayla says. "If you'd like, you can tag along."  
"Ah, no thanks." Allen refuses. "I can't stay long."  
"If you say so." Makayla shrugs. "Have fun, though."

—

Eventually, a group of school kids appear, swarming around the woman. Half of them seem like they wish they were somewhere else, while the other half seem far too excited for a history lesson. Allen doesn't pay much attention to them and starts towards one of the back corridors, where he vaguely remembers his room being…

"Ray!?"

Allen turns around, searching for the source of the voice.

"Ray!"

A figure roughly collides with him, almost knocking him off his feet.

"What-"

"It's really you!"

"…Ben!?"

—

 **mwahahahahahahahahha i hope u guys remember Ben... and Grace. Oh well, good luck if u don't.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard ~(-.-)~**


	21. Chapter 21

**This one isn't one of my best, I'm sorry. It got kind of awkward to write, but I'm trying my best! Thanks for reading everyone!**

 **(Ben's 15, if you didn't do the math. He's 2 years older than Allen. :3)**

 **—**

 **ALLEN 13  
LAVI 17  
LENALEE 16  
KANDA 18**

 **—**

"…Ben!?"

Allen's body freezes in shock. His mind goes blank, every fibre of his being focusing on the teen in front of him.  
"It's really you!" Ben's eyes begin to water as he reaches out to Allen, gripping him in a tight hug. It lasts a few seconds before Ben releases him and holds him at arms length. "What are you doing here?"

"…Work." Allen manages a whisper, internally trying to regain his senses. Usually, once he'd left home, he'd never see his family again. Or, he'd see their gravestones sooner or later. Allen couldn't help but be startled.

"Work?" Ben's expression falls. "Right, you do work now."  
"Yeah." Allen takes a step back, still uncomfortable.  
"Hey," Ben suddenly notices the white patch over his eye. "What happened?"  
"…Work." Allen shrugs. "Uh...Don't worry, it'll heal soon."  
"Good." Ben nods, a dull smile on his face. "I can't have my little brother getting too roughed up."  
"Ben!" A teacher appears behind him, looking on disapprovingly. "The tour is starting now."

"But-" Ben stares wide-eyed up at his teacher.  
"Is everything alright?" Makayla reappears. "We need to get going."  
"I think I'll come along after all." Allen says quickly, sending a glance towards his brother. "If the offer still stands."  
"Sure does." Makayla grins and turns back to the group. "Well? What are we waiting for? Let's get going!"

—

"What kind of stuff do you do?" Ben whispers to Allen as they trail behind the group.  
"You know I'm not meant to tell you that." Allen points out. "I'm not even meant to talk to you."  
"So?" Ben smiles goofily. "You already promised."  
"I know." Allen smiles.  
"Do you really get to fight those monsters?" Ben asks, eyes shining with curiosity. "Do you have a cool weapon?"  
"Uh, yes, to both." Allen nods.  
"That's so cool." Ben sighs. "Better than school."  
"What are you learning about?" Allen asks. "Since you're here, I can make a guess…"  
"Modern history." Ben pulls a face. "Boring stuff, mostly. But some of it's cool." He gestures vaguely.  
"I guess so."  
"They've got really cool science labs here." Ben says excitedly. "Even though they're really old, they're almost as advanced as the stuff we have now."  
"Yeah?"  
"Yeah!" Ben grins. "It's super cool! I they had this stuff over a hundred years ago, I can't help but wonder what they have now…But, you probably already know."  
"Not really." Allen shrugs. "It's only been a few weeks."  
"Yeah, I know." Ben looks down. "It's still weird not having you around."  
"…" Allen looks away, staring up at the ornate windows that are so familiar.

Makayla continues leading the class, chattering on about the various rooms and the history of the building. Allen already knows most of it, so he doesn't really bother to listen.

—

Kanda recognises the school, of course he does. Apparently everyone decided that he was stupid. As if. He's over 100 years old. He saw Allen go off with them, speaking to his brother as he went. Of course he noticed. Kanda does a quick run down of his options.

He could go interfere. It's probably worse on everyone for the sprout to continue communicating with his family. Personally, Kanda doesn't care one bit. Though, it'll probably make him more annoying.

He could ignore it, which is a favourable option right now. But he also doesn't want to deal with the peppy staff hanging around him.

His final option was to go bother Allen about it. Not really interfering, but he could…tag along? That sounds stupid, even in his head. It's probably better he keeps an eye on them, though. God knows he'll just get into trouble somehow.

—

 **Ten minutes later.**

It doesn't take long for Allen to spot the brooding teen following them at a distance. Swallowing any biting remarks, he decides to ignore him for now.

The school tour continues dully, neither the teacher nor the other students affected by his presence. Allen understands the danger of being here, any Akuma would notice his and Kanda's innocence if they happened to pass by. He'd have to move on quickly. Luckily, the abundance of staff would have any Akuma spotted before it could come into range, so he wasn't too bothered, even with his eye still covered.

The group eventually stream into another hall, which Allen can only vaguely recognise. The consistent black curtains and grey stone walls blended with the rest of the castle, it really wasn't his fault everywhere looked the same. Not to mention it'd been literal decades since he's been here.  
Lined across the aged walls, Allen soon notes, are framed photographs and paintings. He recognises a few immediately.

"Cool!" Ben marvels at the display and starts chatting excitedly with one of his friends. Allen seizes the opening and wanders away. Ignoring the paintings, he heads to a series of photos, all covered in glass. The photos are brown, grey and worn with faded edges and tattered sides. But Allen could never forget the figures within.

The first one he spots is close to the ground and he crouches for a better look. It'd been taken a little after he'd first arrived at the Order, after his first mission with Kanda. Johnny, Tapp and Reever stand in the foreground, seemingly arguing over something. A broken Komurin lies across the ground under a despairing Komui.

"Idiots." Allen glances back at Kanda, who's looking at the photos disapprovingly.

"This is probably an invasion of privacy." Kanda scowls.

"You're not even in them." Allen points out. "Since you did nothing but avoid the cameras."  
"And this is why." Kanda shakes his head. "I don't need my face being stared at by stupid kids."

Allen shakes his head and looks back at the pictures. At the very top, there's one of the oldest ones, stained a deeper brown and missing one of the corners. Once he spots the contents, Allen can't help but let out a bark of laughter.  
"Looks like you couldn't avoid it forever."  
"What?" Kanda follows his line of sight and his face pales. "Fuck."

The picture shows a younger Kanda, pressed up against an ecstatic looking Tiedoll. Daisya and Marie hang in the background, looking on with high smiles.

"You could have smiled." Allen grins. "I think it's a lovely picture."  
"Che." Kanda's glare hardens and he stalks off.  
"Where're you going!?" Allen calls after him.

"Away from you!"

—

"Friend of yours?" Makayla leans down next to Allen, watching the older teen go.  
"Kind of." Allen shrugs. "'Friend' isn't the word I'd use, though."  
"I can see why." Makayla laughs. "We're moving on now, but do whatever you want, I guess."

As the school group wanders off, Allen sends Ben a reassuring glance. He wouldn't be long. There are a few more things he needs to check out.

It was easy to find Kanda, moping in one of favourite dark corners. An open balcony looks out onto the water, which shines brightly under the masses of boats across its surface.

It was harder to start talking, since Kanda was intent on ignoring his existence.

"You know this place is technically off limits, right?" Allen moves into Kanda's line of sight.

"Like I care." Kanda scoffs, turning his head away. "They can try and make me leave."  
"I doubt they'd even get that far."

"Good."

Allen steps onto the balcony, sending a pointed grin at the older teen.

"It's almost like it used to be." Allen reminisces, leaning on the aged fence.  
"As if." Kanda scowls. "Things have never been more different."  
"Maybe." Allen shrugs. "But, in saying that, maybe little has changed at all."  
"You're insane." Kanda shakes his head. "This whole thing sucks."  
"Mm." Allen hums in agreement. "There are worse things."  
"Like what?"

"At least we're back together." Allen grins, turning back to Kanda. "That's something, right?"  
"Just give it a few years." Kanda says. "And it'll be back to how it's always been."  
"You seem very sure." Allen raises an eyebrow.  
"Experience." Kanda says. "I thought even you'd pick up on it by now. This war can't be won."  
"Of course it can." Allen laughs. "I believe it can."  
"That's stupid."  
"Maybe." Allen smiles.  
"Ugh." Kanda steps away from the wall, a resigned expression on his face. " _Everything_ in this world is stupid."  
"Perhaps." Allen walks over to him.  
"If you really think we have a chance this time, I won't stop you trying." Kanda sighs. "Just don't expect me to believe it too."  
"Ill make you believe." Allen promises, dropping his smile for a split second. "Even if it takes the end of the war to convince you."  
"That's the only thing that'll convince me."

Allen's smile returns with a laugh. "Then, I'll be looking forward to it."

—

It's even easier to find the school group, who are scattered around an open courtyard eating loudly.

"Ben!" Allen runs up to the teen, dragging Kanda behind him.  
"Ray!" Ben drops his sandwich in surprise. "You're back!"  
"Yup." Allen grins.  
"You're that scary guy." Ben recognises Kanda. "One of Ray's weird friends."  
"What was that?" Kanda's hand flies down to Mugen on his waist, a dark aura forming.  
"It's true." Allen grabs Kanda's other hand. "You're both weird and scary."  
"Shut _up_ , beansprout." Kanda diverts to the younger teen.

"Where'd you go off to anyway?" Ben asks, watching on curiously.  
"Here and there." Allen takes a seat on the ground next to him, pulling Kanda down with him. "How have you been?"  
"Everything's so cool!" Ben grins widely. "We got taken through all the rooms, well, the one's left and it was the best!"

—

It took about an hour for a Finder to find them in the large building. He seemed a little put off by the large school group they'd integrated themselves into.

"U-Um…" The man looks on helplessly.  
"Hm?" Makayla spots him first and calls over to him. "Need something?"

"I…" The man hurries over to her and speaks softly. "I need to speak with the exorcists."  
"Exorcists?" Makayla repeats, far too loudly.  
"Ray?" Ben glances over to his brother.

"Oops." Allen glances down at his watch.

"Idiot." Kanda stalks over to the Finder. "What is it?"  
"Ben?" One of Ben's friends whispers to him curiously, pointing at both Allen and Kanda.  
"Sorry." Allen quickly apologises. "Looks like we need to get back to work."  
"Come _on_." Kanda turns to glare at him. "We need to head back now."

—

After another round of apologies and a quick promise to Ben that they'd see each other soon, the two exorcists head off. Ignoring the excited chatter of the school group fading away, Allen turns to look at the Finder expectantly.  
"The gatekeeper has been sent to headquarters." The Finder explains quietly.

"That was fast." Allen muses, dodging past the crowds.  
"It's been over two hours." Kanda says. "You got distracted."  
"Sorry." Allen grins.

"Ugh." Kanda turns back to the man. "Let's just get out of here."

—

"I can't believe this!" Lavi is the first thing they hear once the two exit the gate. "I completely forgot!"  
"Shush!" Ashe pats the teen's back reassuringly. "First of all, you'll ruin it with all your screaming. Secondly, I'm sure she won't mind it being late."

"What's wrong?" Allen drops down behind the two.  
"Jon forgot to give Mei her present." Asher sighs.  
"What!?" Allen turns on him angrily. "You said that you'd remember!"  
"I got a bit distracted!" Lavi retorts. "I can't believe myself!"  
"Stop making such a big deal out of it." Kanda says, heading to the exit. "Just do it now."  
"You're right." Lavi takes a deep breath.  
"I'll help." Allen volunteers. "I'm sure she won't be mad."  
"…Yeah. I know."

—

"Ready?" Lavi turns to Allen.

"Ready." Allen holds up a shopping bag with a grin.  
"Okay." Lavi turns to Lenalee's room and presses one hand on the handle.

"Hm?" Lenalee notices them immediately and looks up from her book. Her form is sprawled over her bed casually, which put off both the boys.  
"Uh…" Lavi looks over at Allen.  
"We…um…" Allen looks pointedly at Lavi.

"Okay." Lavi sighs. "We kind of forgot to give this to you at your party." He explains, gesturing to the bag in Allen's hands.  
"You…oh." Lenalee's face lights up with a bright smile. She swings her legs around to sit on the edge of the bed and gestures to the two to do the same.  
"Here." Allen takes a seat and passes her the brown bag. "Sorry it's late."

"That doesn't matter." Lenalee laughs. "I would have been fine with just the party, after all."  
"Nonsense." Lavi relaxes. "Friends get friends expensive things on their birthdays."  
"If you say so." Allen laughs. "Go on Lenalee."  
"Hm…"

Lenalee reaches into the bag, pulling out the first wrapped package. She tears away at the paper, letting the embroidered fabric spill out over her lap.  
"Oh!" Lenalee lets out a small gasp. "Is this?"  
"It's like your old one, see?" Allen grins. "We thought you'd like it."  
"It's gorgeous." Lenalee smiles, pulling the fabric to her chest. "Thank you."  
"Keep going." Lavi says, a permanent smile on his face. "There's one other thing."  
"Let's see…" Lenalee tosses the shawl over her shoulders and reaches into the bag once again. She produces a small black box, fitted with a gold clasp.  
"Open it." Allen says.  
Lenalee unlocks the clasp and pushes the lid off the box.  
"….Oh, guys…" She pulls the necklace up by the chain, letting the blue pendant hang down in front of her.

"It's got this, too." Lavi reaches over and clicks the pendant open, revealing the tiny, empty picture frame inside.

"…Thank you." Lenalee's eyes well up with tears as she grips the necklace tidy. "Really."  
"Nothing less for you." Allen grins. "We're _family_ , right?"  
"R-Right." Tears streak down Lenalee's cheeks as a smile plasters itself over her lips.

"I told you." Kanda stands triumphantly in the doorway. "Like she'd get mad."

—

 **the thing with Ben was kind of lame, but I think he underestimates the weight of the situation, so he acted very casually rather than taking things too seriously. I probably should have made things more emotional, but I'm kind of happy with it now.**

 **But please tell me what you guys think, I appreciate all feedback!**

 **Thanks again for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard** (ﾉﾟ▽ﾟ)ﾉ


	22. Chapter 22

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

 **—**

It took a long week of hard work, but they replaced the large Gatekeeper in one of the smashed down walls. He looks out across the sea, where the boats come in to the underground docks. The science department connected him to a new gate, which could completely cover the canal and deny access.

They also took time to repair the rest of the building, replacing and renovated the completely destroyed areas while repairing those still retrievable.

As busy as ever, the Order seemed fuller than ever; people were always rushing around and the sounds of loud construction in one place or another.

Allen is surprised at how quick things are moving, but with everyone, even Fou, helping out, it makes a little more sense.

"Oi!" Fou lands in front of a pondering Allen, staring out of a large, stained-glass window.

"Hm?" Allen turns to face her.  
"Whatcha doin'!? Just bumming around being no use to anyone." Fou huffs, crossing her arms.  
"What are you doing then?" Allen smiles.

"I'm heading to the science department." Fou explains, still holding a firm scowl. "You're coming too."

—

"Hello." Allen waves as he passes Bailey's desk.  
"Mornin'." Bailey gloomily looks up from his desk.

"It's two p.m." Allen points out, stopping for a second.  
"Is it?" Bailey lazily checks his watch. "…Shit."

"Here!" Lenalee appears on his other side, holding up a trap of coffee cups.  
"Hm?" Bailey looks up at her and takes a cup. "Thanks."

"Helping out?" Allen grins at Lenalee.

"Yeah!" Lenalee nods excitedly. "It's loads of fun!"  
"That's good."

"Hurry!" Fou reappears and grabs Allen's arm, tugging him away. "You're so slow!"  
"Bye, Mei!" Allen calls goodbye as he's pulled into the depths of the science department.

—

"Oh, hello!" Grace spots them first, having been hanging just outside the mass of offices.  
"Taking a break?" Allen waves hello.  
"Yeah." Grace grins sheepishly. "I get a bit claustrophobic in there."

"…I think I understand." Allen glances over at the hall. A maze of cubicles lie under the indecipherable piles of junk, paper, and unmentionables. A dark haze seems to hang over the space, even with the strangely high ceiling.

"Your robot is trapped in there somewhere." Grace adds.  
"Robot?" Allen turns to her, confused.  
"Y-You found one in your first few days right?" Grace recalls. "It's been running wild in there since."  
"Komurin?" Allen remembers. "Ah, that's probably not good."  
"That…thing!?" Fou obviously remembers the tyrant. "Ugh, it's better off deactivated."  
"So…" Grace turns to Allen awkwardly. "Why are you two here, i-if I may ask?"  
"Uh, Fou?" Allen turns to her.  
"What?" She snaps at him.  
"Why _are_ we here?" Allen asks.  
"Needed ta to see someone." Fou says. "'parrantly someone called 'Carmen'; the one in charge."  
"Oh, Asher!" Grace says. "She's right in there." She points to the largest pile, towards the very back. "She seemed pretty concentrated on something."  
"Guess we'll go see." Allen sighs. "Thanks Grace."

—

"This place is the same shit-show as always." Fou growls, jumping over the cubical walls.

"Mm." Allen jumps after her, carefully avoiding anything that moves.

"At least it's familiar." Fou mutters, letting herself have a small smile. "Everyone'd fit right in." She glances back at Allen. "I guess you do, huh?"  
"Yeah." Allen grins. "I'm glad things haven't changed that much."

"What'd you expect?" Fou lets out a bark of laughter that quickly forms into a scowl. "Like anyone here'd stray from the classics."

"What's that mean?" Allen speeds up, hanging just behind her.  
"The whole world's changing out there." Fou says. "But everything in here seems to be just the same. Probably the damn Central's fault. At least they're keeping up technological wise."  
"It is weird, then?" Allen nods. "We're even still in the same old building."  
"I've looked around a bit." Fou admits. "Apparently the new Central are obsessed with how things used to be. They think everyone's gone soft, which I don't disagree with. It's probably just because the Noah never turn up anymore."  
"You think?"  
"Don't take it too seriously though." Fou sighs. "At least, not yet."

—

They eventually reach the back of the science division, where they find Asher upon a mountain of metal and broken machines. Allen feels a suspicious stickiness under his feet and the hints of movement within the pile.

"Asher!" He calls out to her, cupping his hands around his mouth. She doesn't respond.

"Jeez." Fou shakes her head. "Hey!" Her shout echoes off the high ceiling, shaking the precarious pile, and knocking an unsuspecting Asher over.  
"Whoa!"  
"Ugh." Fou jumps up in an instant, leaving Allen to climb up after her.

—

"Fascinating…"  
Allen finally reaches the top. Asher stares at Fou wondrously, the latter huffing in annoyance.

"Oh, hey there!" Asher waves hello. "I hope getting up here wasn't too hard."  
"Oh, its…" Allen looks behind him, at the wasteland far below. "Fine."

"Well, that's good." Asher heads to her desk and sits on the far too precarious wheelie-chair in front of it. "Hm…"  
"What are you doing?" Allen asks.  
"Just taking some notes." Asher spins around in an instant, grabbing a notebook and pen off of her desk.  
"Need any help?" Allen heads over to her, just as she heads back towards Fou.

"There's some notes in my desk." Asher says. "In one of the drawers. Covered in red ink."

"Ah, I'll see…"

—

Asher's desk is surprisingly clean. The white surface is stacked with books and papers. One stack, however, catches Allen's eye.

Black journals, distinctly aged, sit in the far corner. White tags mark each with a date and name, some of which Allen recognises.  
"Timothy?"

"Oh!" Asher turns back to him. "Don't bother with those!"  
"…Okay." Allen looks away, still wondering why they'd be here.

He finds Asher's notes and passes them to her.  
"Thanks." She grins. "I'm almost done. Just checking a few things."

—

"That was lame." Fou wanders down the corridor, Allen just behind her.  
"I think Asher really enjoyed it." Allen grins.  
"Of course." Fou smirks. "I'm great. But she didn't have to take so long."  
"We were only there for ten minutes." Allen points out.  
"Too long for me." Fou shrugs. "I should get back to helping out."

"Oh, right." Allen stops. "I guess I should too."

"Do whatever." Fou keeps walking. "Or whatever."

—

 **Okay I know this one's super short but thats cos some stuff going to go DOWN soon and i thought i shouldn't leave with a cliff-hanger or something. also im lazy. so… yeah. i've been sick recently so that why things have been moving slowly, but ill try my best for y'all.**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard**


	23. Chapter 23

**ok so i may have messed up the ages and birthdays a bit, so don't be mad. Allen's accidentally too young but we can ignore that right? :\ oops.**

 **—**

 **ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

 **—**

A man walks bored through a copy-pasted office building. Dull people mill about, going about their day. The man heads into his office, pulling down the blinds and assuring complete privacy. At least, that's what he'd hoped.

A large red door appears in front of him. One surprisingly familiar. Then, as a girl jumps out of it, everything hits him at once. At it is wonderful.

"Tyki!" Road collides with the older man, knocking him to the ground.  
"Ugh." Tyki lets out a groan as he attempts to push Road off of him. "Get off."

"No!" Road grabs his arm and squeezes tight.  
"Ow." Tyki deadpans. "Fine."  
"Aren't you happy to see me?" Road pouts. "After all this time…"

"Yeah, sure." Tyki takes off his glasses and throws them away, and quickly does the same for his black tie.

"You look dumb." Road giggles, looking at Tyki's brown suit.  
"I'm aware." Tyki scowls. "Gross."  
"How about a makeover!" Road grins. "I'll make you beautiful again!"  
"I don't need your help with that." Tyki shakes his head. "But, I could do with some shopping."  
"Yes!" Road pumps her fist in the air. "Let's go!"

—

"Over there!" Allen barely has to call out for Lenalee to slam into the Akuma.  
The pair jumps across blackened rooftops - the remaining signs of a week old fire that had consumed the country town. Unfortunately, with over a hundred casualties, it became a quick breeding ground for Akuma to appear.  
Since they'd ditched the Finders, Allen had abandoned his medical eye-patch. Since his eye had healed weeks ago, it was only for look. The bandages currently sit in his pocket, letting him spot any Akuma still around.

"Is that it!?" Lenalee calls over to him, forcing her voice over a howling wind.  
"Almost!" Allen points ahead. "There's just a few up here!"

—

"And then, the fourth pillar went down like- " Lavi waves his arms around for emphasis. "- WACHOW KABOOM! And then, then, the whole thing came down like-"  
"Shut up!" Kanda swipes at him with Mugen.

"Woah!" Lavi trips backwards, almost toppling out of their tiny canoe.

"P-Please be careful!" Their Finder looks on nervously.  
"Gotcha." Lavi settles back into his seat, as far from Kanda as possible, which - in this situation - isn't far enough.

—

"Jesus…" Cross mutters to himself, one hand running over the studs in his gloves. "That ain't good."

He and two Finders look up at the grey wall of Akuma blocking the exit to the cathedral.  
"S-Should we go fine Miss Aafjes?" The younger Finder looks at him nervously.  
"Nah." Cross shakes his head. "Sal's busy downstairs. I'll deal with this."

—

"I wonder what those kids are up to." Tasha absentmindedly wanders through pitch-black streets, Robert at her side.  
"Who knows?" Robert shrugs. "I think we should be more worried about ourselves."  
"Worried?" Tasha lets out a bark of laughter. "You mean you're worried?"  
"A little." Robert admits. "It's not every day you're hunting a _Noah_."

—

"Chill." Katherine grins at Keith.

"Hilarious." Keith looks away from the frozen wasteland. "Really."  
"Thank you." Katherine grins.  
"Let's hurry." Keith turns away from her. "Unsurprisingly, I prefer to stay away from the polar caps."  
"Hey, reckon we'll see a polar bear?" Katherine grins. "Man, that'd be so weird. I've never seen one up close."

"Mmhmm." Keith starts walking. "Whatever you say."

—

"That's weird." Allen lands by a grotty fountain, stained with ash. "They were here just a second ago."

"Was one a Level 2?" Lenalee lands next to him. "Maybe it did something."  
"I don't think so…" Allen's eyes narrow. "Something's up."

"I'll call the Finders." Lenalee pulls out her golem. "To see if they're okay."  
"Okay." Allen looks around, still distracted, and trying to place the sick feeling in his stomach.

 **"** **Is this a bad time?"**

 _"_ _What is it?"_

 **"** **I have some bad news."**

 _"_ _About what?"_

Unfortunately, Allen got his answer.

"Yo." A lone figure walks casually into the square, wearing a traditional english suit and top hat.

"You look stupid." Allen glares at him.  
"I thought you'd appreciate it." Tyki pouts slightly.

"As if." Allen scoffs.

"What are you doing here?" Lenalee spots him.  
"Just thought I'd say hi." Tyki shrugs, slipping his hands into his pockets.  
"Well, you've said it." Lenalee says. "Now leave."  
"But I just got here." Tyki moves forward. "You really shouldn't be so rude."  
"Go away, Tyki." Allen says.  
"It's funny, isn't it?" Tyki grins. "Everyone's here again."  
"Is it?" Lenalee says.

"I mean, not for us." Tyki gestures to himself. "Maybe not for you, I don't really know how that works." He gestures at Allen. "But the rest of you… I've no idea." He looks pointedly at Lenalee.

"So?" Allen says.

"I was just wondering." Tyki says. "Is this your first time?"  
"What?" Lenalee asks.  
"Did you come straight from then? Or, have you been around the whole time?"  
"We're not telling you anything." Lenalee says.

"Hmph. Fine." Tyki sighs. "I suppose we'll figure out anyway."

"Are you done?" Allen scowls.

"I guess." Tyki turns away. "Have fun." And then, he was gone.

"Fun?" Allen looks at Lenalee, who looks just as confused.  
"…I'd better make that call." She turns back to her golem, face grim.

—

"Uh, that's a little weird."  
"What is it now?" Kanda turns to glare at Lavi.  
"That." He points straight ahead.

A black… mass lies ahead of them, just above the green-grey water of the swamp.  
"Well?" Kanda looks at Lavi. "Go."

"Me?" Lavi looks affronted. "Why me?"  
"You saw it first." Kanda says, like it was obvious. "And you can cover the gap."  
"Ah, fine." Lavi stands. "But I'm not happy about it."  
"Just go."

Lavi easily uses Iron Hammer, the heavier end in the boat and the handle extending under his feet, to reach the mass. It's almost entirely black and twice his height. It's unnaturally smooth, and hovers a few inches above the water.

"Okay then." Lavi stretches out his hands. "Let's see…"

He presses one hand against it experimentally, after a few seconds of nothing, he moves closer. Lavi presses one ear up against it, only to be met with silence.  
"Hm…"

"Hurry up!" Kanda calls from the boat.

Lavi doesn't respond, only waving a hand dismissively in Kanda's general direction.  
He presses both hands up against it and pushes it. It doesn't budge.  
"Fine." Lavi crouches down and grabs Iron Hammer's handle. With a sharp push, he bottom sinks into the swamp and the opposite end flies upwards.  
Shrinking as it goes, the hammer ends up completely vertical with Lavi sitting on the larger end.

Ignoring Kanda's excessive swearing, Lavi uses his hammer to climb atop the mass.

"What the fuck is he doing?" Kanda scowls. "Oi!" He turns to the Finder. "Get us over there."  
"Y-Yes!"

"Hey!" The boat comes to a stop next to the orb.  
"Oh, hello!" Lavi grins from atop it. "Couldn't stay away, could you?"  
"Just get fucking on with it!" Kanda swears, Mugen unsheathed in his hand.  
"Ah. right." Lavi holds up Iron hammer, which has shrunk down to a manageable size, and readies his grip.  
"Grow!" The large end puffs up in size and Lavi, probably with too big a grin, slams it into the orb with all his might.

As expected, the orb cracks. Straight down, a large fissure appears, revealing what's inside.  
"Oh." Lavi stares down at a, seemingly very angry, Level 4.  
"Shit." Kanda stands up, Mugen at the ready.  
"Um, hello." Lavi watches the Akuma cautiously. "What were you doing in there?"

" ** _Heh._** " The Akuma smirks. " ** _Waiting for you._** "

—

"Seriously!?" Kanda jumps out of the way of another wave of bullets.  
"Hey!" Lavi defends. "Don't blame me! You told me to go look at it!"  
"Not to fucking smash it!" Kanda growls.  
"Well, fine." Lavi sighs. "I'm sorry."  
"You're sorry!?" Kanda slashes at the Akuma. "A lot of help that is!"  
"I'm sorry!" Lavi jumps away, slamming Iron Hammer into it. "And hey! I am helping!"  
"Che." Kanda finally lands a hit, stabbing through the Akuma's chest.  
"Heads up!" Lavi slams into it's head, smashing it to gooey, multicoloured pieces. "Cool."  
"Fucking Rabbit." Kanda swears, wiping Akuma insides off of his coat.  
"You'd think they'd be more red." Lavi muses. "Like other Akuma, but I do like the flair."  
"Shut up."  
"Yessir."

—

"Gross." Cross uses some discarded fabric to wipe the blood of off his gloves. "I need a drink."

"S-Sir…" A Finder nervously approaches him, eyes fixed upwards.  
"What?" Cross follows his gaze. A Giant Akuma looks down at him, feral grin splitting its face. "Shit."  
"W-What should we do?"  
"…Go find Sal." He sighs. "And stay back. It's about to get messy."

—

"Ecan!" The woman jogs over, sweat trickles down her dark skin and her hair is wildly flying behind her.

"Yo." Ecan, who's hiding behind a pillar, gives her a casual wave.  
"What the hell is going on?" She demands, one hand on her hip, the other holding a bow at the ready. A quiver sits on her back, full of shining green arrows.

"We got a big one." Ecan grins. "Think you can reel it in?"  
"Was that a fishing joke?" Sal in unimpressed. "Whatever. Can't handle it yourself, then?"  
"It's really fucking big." Ecan says. "Besides, I'm stuck with _very_ short range." He raises his hands for emphasis. "I thought it'd be easier with your help."  
"Are you asking for it?" Sal raises an eyebrow. "I didn't think you were the type."  
"Well, I won't again if you'll be annoying me about it."  
"Hang tight." She heads away from him, to the cathedral's exit. "And get ready."

—

Sal's a a professional. Olympic gold medalist, undefeated, perfect accuracy. That would help, if only she knew where to shoot.  
"…It's really fucking big." Sal mutters to herself, staring as the Giant accidentally crushes a building. No, probably not an accident.

"Che." She grabs another arrow. One of the perks of Innocence is a never ending supply, but, in all honesty, too many too fast still gives her migraines.

A green beam of light sharply pierces the Giant's right eye. As it lets out a scream of pain, another lands, directly in the other eye.

"Bullseye." Sal grins to herself.  
"Nice shot." Ecan lets out a whistle as he climbs up on the roof behind her.  
"I thought you were hiding inside." Sal glances back at him. "You coward."  
"I resent that." Ecan pouts. "I just wanted to see."  
"Well, go do your thing." Sal pulls out another arrow. "I'll cover you."

—

"Huh." Katherine scoops up the Innocence, lying on the white snow. "Found it!"  
"Okay!" Keith calls back, just a little ways away, and starts towards her.  
"That was suspiciously easy." Katherine mutters, slipping the Innocence into her pocket.

"That was too easy." Keith says.  
"I was just thinking that." Katherine grins before her face falls. "I mean, we almost never find Innocence. Usually it's some false rumour. Apparently way back when it was super common."  
"I guess they ran out of Innocence." Keith says. "There's only a certain amount."  
"And still no 'Heart'." Katherine sighs. "Honestly, I don't think it exists."  
"Hmm. Don't let Bailey hear you saying that. Or anyone else back home."  
"I know." Katherine shrugs. "That's why I waited till we were out here." She gestures at the endless fields of ice."  
"Good point."

"Hey, what's that sound?" Katherine stops in her tracks.  
"What sound?" Keith stops and listens.  
"Like…a humming." Katherine's eyes narrow. "It's coming from…"  
They both look down. And the ground swallows them.

—

 **that thing about not giving you a cliffhanger… yeah, that was a lie.**

 **:3 Thanks for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard**


	24. Chapter 24

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

 **—**

"Eh? Lavi?" Lenalee's golem flutters in front of her.  
" _Ah, yeah. Sup Lena-lady?_ "  
"We're fine." Allen answers. "Why are you calling us?"

" _We have, um, a bit of a problem?_ "  
"What kind of problem?" Lenalee asks.

" _A Level 4 kind of problem._ " Lavi says. A explosion sounds in the distance.  
" _Fucking-_ " Kanda swears in the background.  
" _And we lost out Finder._ " Lavi adds, almost too cheerily. " _And apparently you're nearby._ "  
"Um, yeah." Lenalee looks around. "I'll check with a Finder."  
"I'll get it." Allen says, jogging over to the tan-coated trio a little ways away.  
"Are you both okay?" Lenalee asks.

" _Uh, we're fine-"_ Another explosion " _-for now, at least. But we really could use a hand._ "  
"Where are you, exactly?"

" _In a swamp._ "  
"What?"

" _Uh, yeah, it's super big and gross and deep and-"_ Distant laughter. " _This is really difficult!_ "  
"Lavi?" Lenalee is met with static. "Are you still there?"

"Is everything okay?" Allen heads back over, a Finder by his side.  
"The connection cut off." Lenalee says, worry marring her face. "How far are they?"

"They're a few kilometres that way." A Finder points. "I can start the car, or-"

"That won't be necessary." Allen's Innocence bursts to life.  
"We'll head over." Lenalee does the same. "Are you okay here?"  
"Ah, yes!" The Finder nods.

Allen looks over to Lenalee. "Then, let's get going."

—

"Woah!" Lavi dodges another storm of bullets. "I could have sworn this used to be easier."  
"We're in a _fucking swamp_!" Kanda lands angrily beside him, balancing tediously on a small not of roots.  
"Yeah, that's probably it." Lavi nods. "Hey, where'd it go?"  
"What?" Kanda scans the area, eyes narrowing. "The fuck?"

"That was easy." Lavi laughs. "Think it got intimidated by my good looks?"  
"Shut up." Kanda tenses. "It's not over yet."

—

"I think I see it!" Lenalee points forward, where the land turns to a murky green and is swallowed by low-lying trees.

"They better be okay." Allen scowls.  
"Of course they will be." Lenalee smiles. "Come on, let's hurry over."

The pair land just outside of the green water and look out onto the swamp.  
"Gross." Allen pulls a face.  
"They're in there, somewhere." Lenalee keeps looking. "Come on."

"…Yeah, I'm coming." Allen lets Crown Clown latch onto the nearby trees, keeping him above the water. Lenalee goes slightly ahead, her Dark Boots practically letting her fly past the trees.

—

"Ouch." Lavi lands ungracefully and in a heap against a particularly large tree.  
"Idiot!" Kanda calls from a little ways away.  
"Sorry!" Lavi shakes his head, trying to regain his bearings. As he reaches to push himself up, something whooshes past him, knocking him back down. "Huh?"  
"Hey." A white form lands on his other side, toting a familiar grin.

"Al!" Lavi recognises the boy immediately. "Wait, then-" He turns back towards the Akuma, which had just been slammed into by a triumphant looking Lenalee.  
"Che." Kanda wipes swamp muck off of his coat.  
"You okay?" Lenalee lands next to him.  
"Fine." Kanda glances over at Lavi, who gives two thumbs up.

"Great." Lenalee turns back to the Akuma, who's just getting back on its feet.

—

"Woohoo!" Lavi pumps his fist in the air. Colourful Akuma insides mix with the water, creating shining rainbow patterns.  
"Like oil and water." Lavi grins. "Well, technically it _is_ oil and water."  
"Fascinating." Allen laughs.

"Let's just get out of here." Kanda huffs.  
"I agree." Lavi raises his hand. "I've had enough swamp to last a lifetime."  
"Let's find your Finder first." Lenalee suggests. "They're still out here, right?"

It was easy to fine him; the group just backtracked to the remains of the black orb. The probable Dark Matter was sinking slowly into the water when they found it. And, sitting right next to it was the Finder, in near hysterics.

"Sorry for ditching you." Lavi apologises.  
"L-Let's g-get out o-of here." They mutter, rocking slightly.  
"Come on." Lenalee takes a seat in the boat and picks up a paddle. "Start rowing."  
"Eh?" Lavi catches it. "Why me?"  
"The engine's broken." Allen supplies. "Well, I don't actually see it."  
"…Fine." Lavi groans. "Anything to get back."

—

 **HALF AN HOUR LATER.**

"You're back!" The Finders seem particularly loud about their return to the town.  
"Did something happen?" Allen wonders, worried.  
"There's a transmission from the supervisor!" A Finder holds up his golem. "It sounds urgent."

" _Hello?_ " Bailey's voice speaks.

"Bailey?" Lavi answers. "What's up?"  
" _We- we just lost connection with Katherine and Keith._ " Bailey explains, nervousness infecting his voice. " _Their Finders went looking for them, but- but as far as we can tell, they just disappeared…"_

"Where were they?" Allen asks.

"… _Antarctica?_ "  
"Why do you sound unsure?" Lavi raises an eyebrow. "Whatever, you want us to go check it out, right?"  
" _Ah, yes, right._ " Bailey answers. " _Please_."  
"You got it, Boss." Lavi does a mock salute.  
" _There's already a Finder waiting in the ark to direct you._ " Bailey lets out a sigh of relief. " _Good luck._ "  
"We'll be back before you know it." Lavi reassures.

" _You'd better be._ "

—

"Antarctica, huh?" Lenalee looks at the door warily. "I didn't think there was a gate there."  
"Neither did I." Allen admits quietly.  
"Che." Kanda glares at the door.  
"We'll try to be quick." Lavi pats Kanda on the back. "In and out in no time."  
"Don't touch me." Kanda reaches for Mugen.  
"Okay, okay." Lavi holds his hands up in surrender.  
"We should hurry." Lenalee says. "If they're really in trouble…"  
"You don't think this is part of what Tyki said, do you?" Allen wonders.  
"I hope not." Lenalee takes a deep breath. "Come on, they're counting on us."

—


	25. Chapter 25

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

 **—**

"Ugh." Shivers rush through Lavi's body.  
"I feel you." Lenalee rubs her arms. "It's freezing."  
"Literally." Lavi sighs.  
"Where now?" Allen looks around, Crown Clown wrapped tightly around him.  
"North of here." Lavi points. "That's what they said, right?"  
"Then let's get fucking going." Kanda starts forward, characteristic scowl on his face.

—

"Why were they here anyway?" Allen looks over at Lenalee.  
"They found some Innocence, I think." Lenalee recalls. "They came to collect it."

"How did they find it?" Lavi squints at the blinding white landscape. "I can barely tell if we've moved or not."

"I can still see the gate." Allen points behind them, where a dim glow shines behind the fog.  
"At least it'll keep us orientated for now." Lenalee says.

After a few more minutes of walking, Lavi speaks up. "It should just be here…" Lavi looks around.  
"I don't see anything." Lenalee says.

"Me neither." Allen spins around. "What would make them disappear like that?"

"Akuma?" Lenalee suggests. "Or…Noah."

"Guys!" Lavi calls from a little ways away. "Look!"

They rush over, peering at the thing in Lavi's hand.  
"Innocence?" Lenalee recognises the green glow.

"Did they drop it?" Kanda frowns.  
"Maybe…" Allen shakes his head. "Are we sure that they picked it up?"  
"The Finders got a message from them." Lenalee nods. "Saying they'd found it and were heading back, but they never returned."

"Spooky." Allen steps back. "Hey, Lavi, you hang onto it."  
"Eh?" Lavi looks at the stone warily.  
"We'll look around a little more." Lenalee suggests. "But, we should get that back."  
"Ugh, fine." Lavi slips it into his pocket.

—

 **TWENTY MINUTES LATER.**

"Nothing!" Allen slumps to the ground. "Everything looks the same! Flat, white, and boring."

"What, like you?" Kanda snaps at Allen.  
"Shut up." Allen glares up at him, but makes not move.  
"There must be something…" Lenalee frowns.  
"Well, at least…" Lavi brings out the shard of Innocence. "We could drop this back. Maybe take a break too?"  
"…" Lenalee looks conflicted.  
"There's nothing we can do now." Allen solemnly adds. "Besides, it isn't good to stay out in the cold this long."  
"You're right." Lenalee nods. "Let's get out of here."

The four head back to the gate, trod ding sadly through the snow.

"I just hope they can wait a little longer." Lenalee sighs.  
"We're doing all we can." Allen comforts. "And, I doubt they'd want us freezing to death out here."  
"Yeah, chin up, Lena-lady." Lavi grins, bouncing the Innocence in his hand. "I'm sure we'll-"

The ground shudders for a split second, almost knocking the teens over.  
"Wha-" Lavi barely has time to look down before the ice splits underneath him.  
"Lavi!" Allen cries out, watching the redhead fall.

Unfortunately, the ice doesn't stop there; in under a second, they're all falling. Down. Down into the darkness below.

—

 **?**

"Ugh." Allen sits up, disorientated by the pitch black around him. Soft snow crunches with every movement, shifting and threatening to let Allen slip.  
"Guys?" He listens closely as his voice echoes loudly. "Is anyone there!?"

After a few seconds, Allen starts to give up.

"…Ray?" A soft voice answers, a little ways to his right.  
"Keith?" Allen tries to stand, but just ends up flailing around for something to grip on.  
"What are you doing here?" Keith seems to be getting closer.  
"We're looking for you." Allen explains.  
"'We'? There's more of you?"  
"Yeah! Mei, John, and Akai are all here." Allen says. "Wait, if you're here, then where's Katherine?"  
"…No idea." Keith admits. "I haven't seen her since we landed."

—

"Whoa!" Lavi falls down again, landing heavily on his backside.  
"Be careful!" Katherine snaps at him.  
"Sorry." Lavi laughs. "It's a little slippery."  
"I noticed." Katherine huffs.  
"So…" Lavi relaxes on the ground. "What do we do now?"

"Since you're all stuck down here too," Katherine sighs. "We'd better start looking."

—

"What happened?" Allen cautiously moves forward with Keith, one hand firmly against the ice wall.  
"We found the Innocence." Keith says. "But, when we tried to take it back, we fell down here."  
"Do you still have it?"  
"No." Keith shakes his head. "It disappeared when I landed."

"Then the same thing probably happened to us." Allen says. "We found the Innocence, but once we tried to head back, we ended up here."

"I wonder," Keith stops walking. "If it's some kind of defence mechanism."  
"For the Innocence?"  
"Yes."  
"But, why?"  
"I suppose it's content to be where it is." Keith suggests. "Likely why it hadn't already been recovered."

"Then, what should we do?"  
"…I've no idea."

—

"It's too dangerous." Katherine shakes her head. "The roof would probably cave in and, since the others are still down here, we can't risk them being injured."  
"Damn." Lavi sighs. "Well, there's still no way out."

After making their way in a complete circle, the pair had ended up where they started, with seemingly no exit in sight.

"I do wonder…" Katherine says. "Why were've been split up."  
"Hm? Oh, because we were all lose together when we fell, right?"  
"And it felt like a straight drop down." Katherine adds.  
"It's probably the Innocence." Lavi says. "They can do really weird stuff."

—

"Guys!?" Lenalee calls out, but her voice only echoes through the empty cavern.  
Regardless, she continues forward, inspecting the large space.

A pale green glow emanates from the walls, giving her a full view of the giant cave. The ice creates swirling patterns on the walls, drawing blue and green lines of light.

In the centre of the room, there's a large pedestal, where a brighter glow shines. The space itself seems empty, but Lenalee heads in for a better look anyway.

—

"Ah!" Allen sees the light first and stops.

"What?"  
"Up ahead." Allen points. "I can see something."

—

Upon further inspection, Lenalee discovers that the 'pedestal' is far more like a well, with a seemingly endless black pit within. The glow shines from above, creating something akin to a spotlight.

Lenalee looks over and inside, trying to see the bottom. There are no other exits, so maybe-

"There!" A muffled voice.

"What is it?" Another.

"Hello?" Lenalee calls down the well, straining to stay above the edge.

"Mei?" The response is immediate and followed by quick footsteps.  
"Ray!" Lenalee calls again.  
"Where are you?" Allen appears in front of her, directly under the light.  
"Up here!" Lenalee laughs.  
"Hey!" Allen looks up and grins.

"Hm?" Keith appears a second later, slightly stunned by the light.

—

"Whoa." Keith stares up at the cave, taking in the bright markings on the walls.  
"Are you okay?" Lenalee looks over at Allen.  
"Fine." Allen smiles and brushes loose snow off of his coat. "A little cold."

"What is this place?" Keith wonders, wandering around.  
"I don't know." Lenalee says. "I just woke up here."  
"At least we can see now." Allen says.

"What's this?" Keith stops and points up at the wall. The geometric blue patterns standing out, completely out of place.

"That's weird." Lenalee heads over, Allen in tow. "I didn't see that before."

"It looks almost…" Keith's eyes widen. "Like a maze."

—

"Well, this sucks." Lavi collapses onto the ground.

"Stop whining." Katherine stays standing.

"There's no way out." Lavi says. "Well, no easy one."  
"Then, I have another idea."  
"What?" Lavi sits up, intrigued.  
"Your Innocence," Katherine says. "Could it let you examine the higher walls?"  
"Um, yes." Lavi nods.

"Even if you can't see," Katherine continues. "You could feel those walls, in case there's something up there."

—

"Fuck." Kanda swears and another dead-end lies ahead of him. Fuming silently, he retraces his steps, back to the intersection. Unfortunately, both had ended in failure, so it was further back for him. Before he leaves, Kanda pulls out mugen and slices two, large 'X's into the ground, just in case he ended up back there again.

—

"Hm?" Allen notices a small green light. "That's weird."

The shining speck passes across the wall, avoiding the blue lines.

"If this is a maze," Allen says. "Then, maybe this is someone inside."  
"Then…" Lenalee looks over at her companions. "It's either Akai, Jon, or Katherine."

"If that's someone then," Keith points at a spot at the top of the map, where a large ring encircles two additional dots. "These probably are too."

—

Kanda continues in a huff, resisting the urge to shiver. The light is annoyingly dim, only letting him see a few feet in front of him. Every step echoes through the icy corridors, like thousands of invisible figures walking with him. It's fucking creepy.

—

"Hey, they're heading to the exit." Lenalee points to an opening in the maze, to which the green dot is approaching.

"Do you think they'll actually get out?" Keith wonders.  
"Who knows?"

—

"Have you been in here the whole time?" Lavi calls down to Katherine. He stands perches on top of Iron Hammer, one hand against the wall.  
"No, actually." Katherine admits.  
"Oh?"

"I first woke up in this nasty set of corridors." She says. "Took me a while to get out, but once I thought I'd found an exit, I woke up here."  
"Weird."

—

"Huh?" Lenalee stares at the map. "They're gone!"  
"What?" Allen glances over.  
"They'd just gotten to the exit." Lenalee explains. "But, then they vanished!"

—

"Ah!" Lavi hits the ground, hard.  
"What the fuck!?" A familiar voice swears loudly.  
"Are you okay?" Katherine heads over.

"Akai?" Lavi feels for the older teen.  
"Stop touching me!" Kanda knocks him away and gets to his feet.  
"What happened?" Katherine demands. "Where did you come from?"  
"I was stuck in a _fucking_ maze!" Kanda growls, finally letting out his anger. "And the moment I even see the _glimpse_ of a way out, I'm stuck here with _you_!" He jabs at Lavi, who lets out a yelp.

"That's the same as me." Katherine says.  
"Great." Kanda huffs. "Now I'm stuck here with an idiot."  
"You're so kind to me."

—

"There they are." Keith points back at the circle, where three lights stand instead of two.

"That's probably not good." Lenalee frowns.  
"I wonder where we are on this." Allen says.  
"There're no other lights." Keith shakes his head. "We're probably not meant to know."  
"Well, how about the way we came from?" Allen suggests. "We were just in the middle of a corridor right? So, where does the other way lead? We really only got here by chance."  
"If there're other rooms…" Keith nods. "Then, we should try exploring more."

"Should someone stay with the map?" Lenalee asks.  
"The golem communicators don't work down here." Keith says. "It'd be safer to stick together."

—

 **FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER**

"This feels wrong." Lenalee says.

"I agree." Allen chirps in. "We shouldn't just be going straight."  
"There haven't been any other exits." Keith says. "There's nowhere else to go."  
"Still…" Lenalee still looks bothered.  
"I hope everyone else is okay." Allen says.

—

"Argh!" Katherine kicks the wall in frustration. "This is stupid!"  
"We noticed." Lavi says, lying face down on the ground. "If we can't melt it or break it, we're pretty much trapped."  
"There _must_ be a way." Katherine insists. "We just need to keep looking!"  
"We've checked every inch of this place." Kanda says.

"The others'll be looking for us." Lavi adds. "They're probably having more luck than us."  
"Hopefully." Katherine scowls.

—

"Run!" The trio sprint through the cavern, ice collapsing just behind them.  
"It's gaining on us!" Allen cries.  
"Shit." Keith swears.

"Is that?" Lenalee skids to a stop, along with the other two.  
"…Dead end." Allen's face drops.  
"Dammit." Keith barely has time to turn around before the wave of white ice hits them and everything goes dark.

 **So I had chap 24 sitting on my com while i was writing this because I totally forgot to post it? Yeah, sorry?**

 **I think I messed up somewhere so if something doesn't match up or there's a huge gap in the story please tell me ink so confused lol**

 **:D**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard**


	26. Chapter 26

**yeah, I'm sorry this took ages, but my** **exams are all done! for now at least. Not to mention the fact that i've been grossly sick lately :( anyway, I hope you guys enjoy! I'll be updating other stuff, hopefully, soon too!**

...

 **ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

A loud rumbling echoes through the cavern, like thunder. "What was that?" Lavi looks up suddenly.

"No idea." Katherine scowls. "But stay alert."

As the sound dissipates, the trio relaxes, but it's too soon.

After another second another shudder knocks them all off their feet.  
"Woah!" Lavi hits the ground hard.  
"What now?" Kanda growls.  
The ground shakes and ice begins to fall from the roof, dropping in soft lumps around them. As more and more piles up, the ground below them shifts under its weight.

"Um…" Lavi feels the previously solid ice with his hands, which is now splitting under them "Look out below."

"Ugh." Allen opens his eyes to a world of white. Or is it black? He's not to sure himself. His head feels heavy and his body feels stiff. The cold seems to paralyse his muscles, stinging his skin as he tries to move.  
"Are you guys okay?" He calls, hoping for some sign that his friends had made it. But there is only silence.

He shifts again, feeling the mass of snow shift above him.

"Hello?"  
Finally, a voice answers, but it wasn't the one he was expecting.  
"Lavi?" Allen tries to move again, using his hands to push the snow away.  
"Hold on!" Lavi calls back.

Allen feels the snow move, likely under Lavi's feet.  
"I've got you."

Lavi scoops the snow away, eventually reaching the buried teen. Allen looks up at him, eyes slightly unfocused and skin tinted blue.  
"You still in there?" Lavi pulls him out, trying to keep a grin on his face.  
"…Yeah." Allen lets out a breath. "What happened?"  
"No idea." Lavi grins. "Let's go find out."

Katherine scowls at the mass of ice pushing down on her. She pushes with all her might and is relieved to find that she hadn't been that far under. The snow move away easily, letting her sep out and onto it.

Not far off, she spots two familiar figures, also dusting the frost off of them.  
"Katherine!" Keith spots her first and jogs over.

"Keith." Katherine straightens up, letting Keith pull her to her feet.  
"Are you okay?" Lenalee appears behind him.  
"Fine." Katherine finishes dusting herself off. "…Where's everyone else?"  
"Everyone else?" Keith looks around the empty space. "I don't see anyone."  
"Where's Ray?" Lenalee asks. "And, you were with Jon and Akai, right?"

Katherine grimaces. "I was."

"Where are we now?" Lavi stares around as they head through the snowy corridor.

"Well, we're not where I was before." Allen says. The white snow glows blue, brightly illuminating them, and nothing like what they'd seen before.  
"Think we'll find treasure?" Lavi laughs. "Man, that would be so cool!"  
"I'd rather just find the way out, honestly." Allen sighs. "I hope everyone else is alright."  
"They'll be fine." Lavi reassures. "I think we need to worry about ourselves first."

"I guess…" Allen stops and the hallway begins to dwindle. The previously large cavern dips suddenly into a shrinking tunnel.  
"That's not good." Lavi frowns.  
"Let's keep going." Allen decides. "Just for a bit."  
"Hm, okay." Lavi flicks on of the hanging icicles. "Just, maybe we shouldn't wait for someone to get stabbed."

The tunnel continues shrinking after that. Lavi hunches over slightly as he walks, and even Allen has to dip his head at one point. Angry shards of ice glare down at them, reflecting the blue light into abstract shapes on the walls. They slow to a stop as the tunnel turns to just a minuscule gap in a thick, icy wall.  
"Well then." Lavi turns around, looking back the way they came. "Back the way we came-"

"Wait." Allen crouches down. He looks through the small gap in the wall. An eerie glow resonates from the spot, brighter than it had been before. He tentatively reaches inside, ignoring a soft warning from Lavi.  
As he reaches further and further inside, his fingers touch something warm within the ice.  
"I've got something." Allen looks back at Lavi. "But I can't reach."  
"Here, I'll try." Lavi takes Allen's place.  
Allen brushes the stray frost from his sleeve as Lavi reaches inside. A few seconds later, he breaks out into a wide grin. "I got it."

"What the hell?" Kanda glowers at the icy walls. He's had about enough of this to late at least this lifetime. The others had very promptly fallen through the floor just a few seconds ago. Unfortunately, that didn't include himself. The cavern seems far bigger with just him inside. He reasons that it's the lack of the two loud voices filling the air. But with him all alone, it seems far too still.

"Again!?" Lenalee falls to the ground as it starts to shake again. Keith leans unsteadily against the wall, while Katherine crouches at the ready. The walls light up all of a sudden, glowing bright trails over the ice. As they intertwine, they burn a ring into the wall, opening it up to the space beyond.  
"Should we?" Keith looks over at Katherine once the shaking stops. She looks back, unsure, but nods regardless.  
"Let's get out of here."

…

"Woah!" Lavi grins at the shining stone in his hands. It's familiar green light mixes with the shining blue, twirling patterns around them. The tunnel slowly melts into a larger and large room, giving more room for the shining rings and lines to grow.

"Hey!" Lenalee hops through a new opening and rushes towards the two.  
"Nice to see you." Lavi grins as she tackles him in an embrace.  
"Are you all okay?" Keith and Katherine follow after. "What happened?"  
"I found it!" Lavi proudly holds out the shining piece of Innocence.  
"How?" Katherine stares.  
"Found it at the end of a tunnel." Lavi shrugs.  
"Why did it go and do all this then?" Katherine gestures around vaguely. "Was it just to mess with us?"  
"Who knows?" Lavi shrugs again.  
"No matter what, every piece of Innocence never fails to confound me." Keith sighs.  
"Hey, wait." Lavi looks around, craning his neck to see the group.  
"What is it?" Lenalee asks.  
"…Where's Akai?"

…

"Dammit!" Kanda kicks at the wall, letting the ice sting at his foot. He wanders backwards, the darkness sharpening his other senses. A dull mumble reaches his ears and he turns around, searching for the source. As he reaches the centre of the room, it grows slowly louder and louder. He stops, sure that he'd've reached it's source by now. His feet slide slightly across the ice, and he reaches outwards, steadying his balance. Except, the ground starts to shake, knocking him over anyway. He hits the ground unsteadily, the world shuddering around him.

…

The cavern shakes again. Lavi trips to the ground while the others struggle to remain upright.  
"This is getting old." Lavi mutters.  
The shaking persists, however, until they hear a loud cracking sound.  
"There!" Lenalee points above them, to where the roof is tearing from the quake.

"Look out!" Keith calls out and the group scatters.

They barely escape in time. The roof shatters into shards, dropping a _very_ unhappy Akai onto the ground where they'd just stood.  
"Akai!" Lenalee cheers and rushes over to him. "Are you okay?"  
"I've been better." Kanda looks up at the gap he fell through with s disgusted glare.  
"…Was it you?" Lavi looks down at the Innocence,still firmly in his grip. "If so, thanks."  
"What was that?" Kanda turns to look at him and spots the stone in his hands. "The hell?"  
"Oh, yeah." Lavi grins and holds it up for him to see. "We sort of found the Innocence?"  
The gem hums in his hands, glowing almost happily.  
"Of course you did." Kanda scowls. "So, can we leave now?"  
"Probably." Lavi shrugs. He looks down at the Innocence. "Um, can we leave now?"

The gem doesn't respond right away, which leads to a few awkward seconds of silence.  
"…Okay then." Lavi sighs. "Should we try something else?"  
"I…don't think that'll be necessary." Allen says.  
"Hm? Why?" Lavi asks.  
Allen points at his hands, dropping Lavi's gaze. "…Oh."

The stone glows brightly, reflecting water-like patterns onto the white ice around them. It surges the light, bursting across the walls. The light warps and solidifies in large, blinding flash. Lavi flinches at the light, bringing up his free hand to cover his eyes.

"Woah!" Lenalee's voice brings him back. Lavi opens his eyes gingerly and slowly lowers his hand. The infinite expanse of ice stretches in every direction. A bright blue sky hangs above them, complete with a shining white sun.  
"We're free!" Lavi cheers, looking down at the Innocence. "Thanks."

"Bailey?" Katherine can't help but smile as the Supervisor's face appears in front of her.  
"Katherine!" He smiles widely, filled with relief. "And Keith. Are you both alright?"  
"We're fine." Keith nods. "Thanks to these kids."  
"Hi!" Lavi waves at the image.  
"Thank you." Bailey lets out a breath. "The gate should be waiting for you from where you came in."  
"Okay," Katherine nods. "We'll see you soon, then.  
"Yeah, see you."

"I'm never going to the poles again." Kanda grumbles as they step back out into the Order. The comparatively warm air seems like a godsend.  
"I need to change." Lenalee adds, looking down at her icy clothes.  
"Not after you head to the infirmary." Asher appears by their sides. "I'd rather not find out the hard way if you got sick."

"Ah, right." Lenalee smiles. "Okay."

"That's probably for the best." Allen agrees. Of all his past experiences, it's hard to ever do something new. Unfortunately, getting buried in snow was never on his to-do list. He still feels slightly numb from the cold, even in the relatively warm air.  
"Come on," Lavi grins, taking Allen's hand. "After that, we can go eat!"

...

"You're sick." The nurse frowns at Allen.  
"What?" Allen rubs his eyes, suddenly they felt a lot heavier than before.  
"You've caught something," She scribbles something down on her clipboard. "I can give you some medicine, but you're to rest and recover for a few days.  
"Why's it just me?" Allen glances over at a hyperactive Lavi who's watching, amused.  
"Who knows?" The nurse hands a piece of paper to Allen, along with a small bottle of pills. "Go give that to the supervisor." She nods towards the paper. "And take those twice a day." She gestures to the bottle.

"Fun." Allen frowns at the bottle.  
"I guess it's your bad luck playing up again, huh?" Lavi laughs.  
"…I'm still hungry though." Allen slips the paper and bottle away.  
"Great." Lavi grins. "Then, let's eat!"

...

They slip past Bailey's office, dropping the paper onto his desk. It sits innocently atop the precarious pile, which threatens to turn it into a more Komui-like situation. Asher quickly waves them away, making sure that the Supervisor didn't see them add another paper to his pile.

They head out to the cafeteria with Lavi chattering the whole way. Once they arrive, they're greeted by a cheery Lenalee, who directs them to a table where Kanda already sits.  
Lavi, far to happily, tells the two of Allen's troubles. Lenalee immediately chastises him for not being in bed, but Lavi interjects, claiming food to be far more important.

Allen happily chews on a large stick of dango as Lavi and Kanda begin to argue. He tries to ignore the slight ring in his ears and the dull ache growing at the back of his head.

Perhaps those pills might be helpful after all.

 **I've been pretty busy lately with irl stuff, not to mention i started writing a novel! Ikr. i mean, it probably won't be great, but i suppose there's only one way to find out! I'm going on holidays soon, so i'll be writing a lot more!  
Thanks for reading!  
\- 3, Cheese Wizzard**


	27. Chapter 27

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

 **…**

"Where are we going?" Allen trails after Lavi, who's skipping cheerily ahead, one hand gripping Allen's.  
"Somewhere." Lavi answers, not looking back.  
"Do you even know?"

"Nope." Lavi answers. He doesn't slow his pace, only pulling Allen harder to follow.  
"I don't know why I do anything with you." Allen sighs.  
"Do you have anything better to do?"  
"The nurse told me to stay in bed." Allen says.  
"But you weren't going to do that anyway." Lavi rebuts.  
"…Yeah." Allen resigns to silence as they continue down another hallway.

…

"Oh, hello!" The pair almost knock Asher over, the woman balancing a large stack of boxes in her arms. One threatens to crash to the floor, but Lavi catches it.  
"Here." He holds it out to her. She gives him an odd look from behind the stack and he retracts his hand.  
"Need any help?" Allen offers.  
"That would be great." Asher breathes a sigh of relief as she passes a few of the boxes down to the teens.

"Where are we headed?" Lavi asks, now with his own precarious stack in his arms.  
"Just to the storage rooms." Asher directs, leading the way.  
"What are these anyway?" Allen asks. The boxes aren't particularly heavy but there's somethings rolling around inside them, throwing them off balance.

"Just some… old things." Asher throws them a knowing glance. "I recommend keeping them closed."

…

The storage room leaves them in a thick atmosphere of dust. It tickles Allen's throat. A surprisingly violent sneeze provided little relief. He happily drops the boxes on the floor.  
"That'll do." Asher nods, placing down her own in the corner.

"What's all this?" Lavi asks, pointing up at the packed shelves. The labels are blurred with age and the boxes themselves are caked in dust.  
"…I dunno." Asher shrugs. "Most of it's just always been here."

"Cool." Lavi grins, making his way towards one of the larger boxes, sitting on the ground.  
"Be careful." Allen warns.  
"Lexer always says not to open these things." Asher muses. "But, he's not here, so who cares?"  
"I got it!" Lavi wrenches the cardboard top away, only to be met with a dusty blast of mouldy air.

"Huh?" Asher leans over for a better look. "It's empty?"  
"There's nothing here." Lavi reaches inside. The dim light fills the box with a dark shadow, but there's nothing obvious inside.  
"Why's it here then?" Asher frowns.  
"How lame." Lavi grumbles. He drops the lid and gives the box a small nudge with his foot. A strange, metallic noise rings from inside.  
"That's weird." Lavi crouches back down. "…I still don't see anything."  
"Here." Asher reaches down and pulls the box into her arms. In one swift motion, she flips it upside-down.

A tiny silver thing falls to the ground with another ring. The sound is like a bell, but its muted and off-key. The shining thing rolls against the floor before coming to a stop.

"…Is that it?" Asher drops the box to the side and crouches down for a better look.  
"Hm." Lavi does the same.  
"What is it?" Allen asks.  
"I don't know." Lavi reaches out to it. He carefully picks it up and it rings pathetically from the motion. "But…Hm, it looks familiar." He says the last part quietly, mostly to himself.  
"Well, maybe we should-" Another ring cuts Allen off. The silver thing shakes of its own accord, rocking around in Lavi's hand.  
"That's probably not good." Lavi watches it carefully as it slows back to a stop. It sits quietly in his palm for a second and he lets out an apprehensive breath. Just as he turns to say something else, the thing jumps up into the air and disappears.  
…

"…Um…" Lavi stares up into the darkness. The ringing still fills the air, echoing in their ears.  
"Oops." Asher spins around, scanning the room for a sign of the silver thing. "It's gone."  
"Maybe not." Allen pauses, listening to the persisting ringing. A whistle flits past his ear, heading towards the open exit. The ringing disappears into the corridor and out of sight.  
"Ah!" Lavi jumps up, grabbing Allen. "There it goes!"

…

Allen can't tell if the thing is leading them around on purpose or not. It seems lost, landing in dead-ends and retracing it's path. Lavi, Allen and Asher jog after it as it goes. Its silver sheen has disappeared, letting them only follow its phantom sound. After another turn and a long flight of stairs, they end up at the underground dock which leads to the sea outside.  
"There it goes." Lavi sighs as the sound disappears out to sea.  
"Hey, no use giving up now!" Asher cheers, waving to a nearby Finder. "This is fun, isn't it?"  
"I guess?" Lavi watches her bring a small boat over with a tired-looking Finder at its head.  
"Then, let's go!" Asher points outwards, eyes shining and expression hopeful.  
"U guess it can't hurt." Lavi grins. "Right?" He looks down at Allen, who only sighs.  
"Well, I guess we've gotten this far, why not?"

…

"That way!" Asher points towards the fading noise. The Finder grudgingly steers in that direction, watching all three of them with a strange expression.

They ride through the water, the cold breeze stinging their eyes and the water splashing up like rain. They go almost in a loop, going a little ways out to sea before turning back towards the thick forest.  
They land on a tiny beach covered in dirt and broken stones. They bid the Finder good bye and leave him to wait as they head up into the forest after the quiet noise.

…

"This is a bad idea." Allen huffs as light sprinkle of rain starts above them. The thick trees let only a few drops through, leaking wet water-mines waiting to soak their hair. Allen dodges a few of the larger and louder drops as they continue deeper and deeper into the trees.  
The sound is almost lost in the sound of the rain, but that only quickens the group's pace.  
"It's too late for that kind of talk." Lavi shakes his head. "Onwards!"  
"You're terrible." Allen sighs, but continues nonetheless.

Just as the trees start to become too thick and the light becomes too scarce, they land in an unnaturally large clearing. White sunlight spills onto the wet ground and Allen has to actively stop himself from slipping.  
"…It's stopped." Lavi points ahead. "I think it's just there."  
"This is so weird." Asher grins widely as she steps forward. "And so cool. It's weird to be out of the office."  
She reaches out, feeling for where the ringing should be. It grows louder with her every step forward, but as she reaches the centre of the clearing, a loud growling interrupts her.

"What?" She spins around, but the growling persists.  
"Lavi!" Allen pulls Lavi towards him with a harsh whisper.  
"Huh?" Lavi stumbles slightly, but freezes at Allen's next words. With one hand over his left eye, so to hide it from Asher, he whispers. "There's an Akuma."

…

"Woah!" Asher cries out, drawing back the boy's attention.

"Look out!" Lavi barely has time to call out before the metal monster itself rises above the tree line in front of them. A perpetually grinning face smiles down at them as the Akuma cackles from its position in the sky.

"Look out!" Lavi jumps forward towards the scientist. He collides with her roughly as an Akuma bullet flies past and hits the ground beside them.  
"I got it!" Allen jumps in after him, letting Crown Clown activate by his side. He jumps up, far further than humanely possible, as raises his now shining silver claw.  
The Akuma has barely any time to react before Allen tears through it mid-air. It falls to pieces, collapsing back into the forest and out of sight.

…

"Cool!" Asher cheers, seemingly unaffected by the near-death experience.  
"Are you okay?" Allen watches Lavi dust himself off, picking rocks off of his coat.  
"Seems so." Lavi gives himself a quick one-over and grins. "Still in one piece." He pauses as Allen comes closer, eyeing down the tree line. "There aren't any more, are there?" Lavi whispers.  
"No." Allen frowns, looking around.  
"Why do you seem worried about that?"  
"Because there were _three_ just a second ago."

"Hey?" Asher spins around herself as she stands, looking around. "The noise has stopped."  
"Huh?" Lavi stops, listening. "You're right. I guess it ran off again."  
"What now then?" Asher frowns. "Since we lost it, there's nothing much we can do… I guess I should go tell Lexer that we found an Akuma too."  
"I guess-" Allen freezes, causing Lavi to turn to him nervously.  
"Hey, are you-"  
"A-A-A…Achoo!"

…

"This is your own fault, you know." Lenalee frowns down at Allen. The younger teen's face is obscured by the white sheets pulled over his head. A muffled groan follows Lenalee's words, accompanied by another tug of the blankets.  
"Honestly." She sighs, shifting in the uncomfortable infirmary stool.  
"I'm never listening to Lavi again." Allen mutters.  
"I'm right here, you know." Lavi leans up against the wall from his seat on the floor. His face is slightly red and his eyes are shining wetly. "And you're not the only one who got sick."  
"I stand by what I said." Allen says, lowering his hands to uncover his face. A red colouring stands out heavily against his normally pale skin, swelling around his nose and under his eyes. He sends an accusatory glare towards Lavi.  
"How was I supposed to know it was going to rain?" Lavi huffs.  
"You shouldn't have been out at all!" Lenalee interjects. "I still can't believe Asher took you."  
"Well, I think it was worth it." Lavi grins, fishing through his pockets. A small, foil-wrapped sweet comes out, which he happily eats. "The new canteen here sucks."  
"Just because they don't serve you junk food all the time means it sucks." Lenalee shakes her head.  
"To each their own." Lavi shrugs and throws a sweet to Allen, which the latter accepts.  
Lenalee stands and heads to the door in exasperation. "I can't believe you two."

…

"Yes!" Allen cheers as the balled-up tissue lands squarely in the trash can. The plastic container wobbles before settling with Lavi's whistle. Allen grins. "That's five for me and… how many for you?"  
"It'll be three in a minute." Lavi carefully aims before making the shot. The projectile hits the wall softly, before sinking down to the bin.  
"Three." Lavi nods.  
"Hm." Allen readies to throw again, but they're interrupted with the door slamming open.  
"Hello!" Asher waves happily, suspiciously sickness-free. "How're you two doing?"  
"I've been better." Lavi shrugs.  
Allen makes a nonspecific noise, which Asher only laughs in response to.  
"Well, the nurse says you'll be out in a couple days, so don't worry about it." She glances down at the clipboard in her hand thoughtfully.

"What?" Lavi leans sideways, making a small attempt to take a look.  
"I was supposed to tell you something…" She frowns. "Hm, I can't seem to remember."  
"Was it important?" Allen asks.  
"No idea." She shrugs and turns back to the door. "What was it again?"

The door closes as the scientists slowly walks away, all the while muttering to herself.  
"That was weird." Allen muses.  
"Eh, I guess." Lavi raises his arm to throw, but the door slams back open. "What now?"

"I've got it!" Asher calls into the room, eyes starry and feet hopping between themselves. "Lexer wanted me to tell you: there's a new exorcist!"

…

 **Sorry about the wait, writing's been slow, only because of family vacation stuff, so sorry about that.  
I hope you guys liked this regardless. :3 also I'm super unbeta'd cos don't judge my typos. If u find anything too bad plz tell me :D **

**Thanks for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard.**


	28. Chapter 28

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

 **…**

"Allen?" Lenalee spots him and Lavi exiting the medical ward. She gives them both unimpressed looks. "You two shouldn't be walking around."  
"And we have a totally good reason." Lavi says quickly, happily avoiding the girl's wrath.  
"Which is?" She crosses her arms.  
"Asher just left." Allen explains, holding a tissue to his nose. "She said that a new exorcist arrived just now."  
"Huh?" Lenalee's arms and expression drops. "Really?" She pauses and then speaks quieter. "Do you think it's someone?"  
"That's what we were going to find out." Lavi says. "Wanna come?"

…

They walk to Bailey's office for, hopefully, some answers. They stay in silence, each pondering their own suspicions as they go. Asher had been far from specific and had disappeared within seconds of her announcement. All three can't help but hope for another familiar face.

As they approach their destination, they see someone approaching.  
"Kanda?"  
The teen doesn't spare them a glance and instead just stalks past, Mugen gripped tightly in his hand.  
"Hey!" Lavi calls after him. "Where are you going!?"  
"Anywhere but here!" Kanda glares back at them for a split second before disappearing around a corner.  
"What's got him so angry?"  
"Anything could." Lavi grins. "Or anyone."

…

Once they actually enter Bailey's office, it doesn't take long to find their answer. A teen boy stands at the Supervisor's desk, not completely paying attention to his words. It doesn't take him long to look over the the entrance, where the three are standing. Bailey, not completely paying attention, doesn't notice as the boy's expression drops.  
Lavi's eyes widen in an instant and he gives a cheery wave. Lenalee's hands snap up to her mouth.  
"Hi." The boy speaks first, bringing attention back to himself.  
"Oh, hello, everyone." Bailey looks over at them. "Have you met Dian yet?"

…

Luckily, it doesn't take long for Bailey to be whisked away by some nervous scientist begging for help in the science department. He gives a quick promise to return before jogging off and out of sight.  
"U-Uh." 'Dian' takes a moment, staring. Long, violet tattoos run down his eyes, giving him somewhat of a bizarre appearance. His brown hair is messy and untamed, poking out at strange angles. Around his neck hangs something shining silver. It rings with his every movement, giving Allen no question to where it'd come from.  
"Daisya!" Lenalee cracks first, jumping towards the boy.  
"Hi!" Daisya shrieks as they collide.  
"Yo!" Lavi skips over. "You scare off Yuu already, huh?"

"I…think so?" Daisya shrugs. "That, uh, _was_ him, right?"  
"What, the hair didn't give it away?" Lavi laughs.  
"Well, I wasn't about to make any assumptions." Daisya says. "This future is super weird."  
"Huh?" Lavi pauses.  
"Wait, Daisya?" Lenalee asks.  
"Yeah?"  
"Is this… your first time?"

…

"Woah." Daisya shakes his head, eyes wide. "How many times was that?"  
"This is the ninth." Lenalee answers.  
"All of you?" Daisya asks.  
"Yeah." Lavi nods.  
"Ah." Allen mutters, mostly to himself. "I think this is my tenth."  
"Hm?" Daisya looks over at him.  
"Oh my God!" Lavi suddenly exclaims.  
"What!?" Lenalee jumps to her feet, worried.  
"You two!" Lavi points, one hand towards Daisya and one to Allen. "You've never properly met, have you?"  
"Oh!" Lenalee gasps. "Of course."  
"Who are you, then?" Daisya asks, offering a hand to Allen. "I mean, it's pretty obvious you're one of us, right?"  
"Allen joined just a few days before you…" Lavi chokes, stopping his words. "Uh…"  
"Oh." Daisya blanches but recovers quickly. "Okay, that makes sense."  
"Allen Walker." Allen introduces, taking Daisya's hand. "But, uh, please call me Ray in front of others."  
"So, it's a secret, eh?" Daisya huffs. "Fine, okay. Is there anyone else?"  
"Just us and Yuu." Lavi nods. "Oh, wait, that's wrong. We're pretty sure General Cross is here too."

…

The four quickly try to catch Daisya up on what's happened, mostly generally. Daisya doesn't bat an eyelash when they get to Allen's Noah problem, so that puts him in Allen's good books. Daisya's actually pretty relaxed about the whole thing and they arrange to talk more later, since Bailey will be back pretty soon.  
"Yeah, that makes sense." Daisya nods. "I was wondering, since we're in a totally different place. It took me ages to get here."  
"What about your family?" Lavi asks. "Did you just run away?"  
"No one to run away from, really." Daisya admits. "I've been cooped up in some children's home in Austria till about a few months ago when I finally got out of the country."  
"How _did_ you get here?" Allen asks.

"I snuck aboard a boat." Daisya grins proudly. "But, just before we got in, this thing got me busted." He holds up his silver bell. It's badly dented but its patterns are still visible.  
"Wasn't it, uh, destroyed?" Lavi asks. "That's what Yuu and Marie said happened."  
"I honestly don't remember." Daisya shrugs. "I wasn't all there."

"Oh, right." Lavi deflates a little, before perking up almost immediately. "We could ask Hevlaska?"  
"Does she _know,_ uh, about this?" Daisya gestures to himself.  
"Yeah, she's cool." Lavi grins. "Maybe she knows something about your Innocence."

"Hello again!" Bailey reenters his office, coat singed black at the bottom. He casually dusts himself off before heading over. "Sorry that took so long."  
"S'okay." Daisya shrugs.  
"I meant to introduce you properly." Bailey looks over to Lavi, Lenalee and Allen. "But, it seems you've done that yourself."  
"Oh, yeah." Lavi says.  
"It's pretty rare to have so many exorcists arriving at once." Bailey muses. "It's strange too how young you all are."  
"Heheh." Lavi nods. "I guess it is."  
"Hm." Bailey shrugs. "Well, I've no idea what to make of it." He look over at Daisya. "How about you go meet Hevlaska now?"  
Daisya grins and nods. "Sounds good."

…

" _Hello, Daisya._ "  
"It's nice to see some familiar faces."  
" _I suppose it would be_."  
"I was, uh, wondering about-"  
" _Your Innocence?_ "  
"Yeah."  
" _General Tiedoll was adamant about hanging onto it… What was left anyway._ "  
"And it's… back, right? Mostly?"  
" _Hm, it seems so. Strange, isn't it?_ "  
"So you don't know why?"

 _"It's truly a mystery. However, I believe you'll find your answers soon enough."  
"_…Thanks, I guess."

…

"Nothing?" Lavi whispers.  
"Nothing." Daisya sighs. "I guess it won't be that easy."

…

"What now?" Daisya asks, once they're left alone.  
"We could show you around!" Lenalee suggests. "Since it's your first time here."  
"Yeah, that sounds fair." Daisya nods. "It's… really different here."  
"Come on." Lenalee takes his hand, pulling him along. "Let's go this way first."

The rest of the day is spent leading Daisya around the building. He's introduced to the science department and reoriented with all the facilities. While the new headquarters has about everything as the last one, everything been displaced thanks to the building itself being much larger. At least now it doesn't look like a haunted castle from the outside.

"Cool!" Daisya skips around the main ark gate. The white door stands on a slight pedestal, filling the room all on its own. "So, we can just go anywhere?"  
"Almost." Lavi nods. "Close enough, anyway."  
"I was so _sick_ of trains." Daisya mopes. "At least now it's easier."  
"Not to mention planes and things." Lavi adds. "It takes, like, a day to go 'round the world."  
"It's insane." Daisya nods. "Man, I've been missing out. At least it'll be easier this time around."

"Che."  
"Huh?" Daisya spins around.

Standing shadowed in one of the entrances is a disgruntled Kanda. He fixes everyone with a glare and lets out an irritated huff.  
"What's up with him?" Lavi wonders.

"Hey!" Daisya waves at Kanda. Kanda doesn't move, stubbornly remaining in place.  
"Jeez." Daisya, undeterred, starts towards him. For a second, Kanda looks like he's going to try and leave, but he stays in place.

Daisya stops in front of him, carefully out of earshot of the others. "What's your problem, eh?"  
"Hmph." Kanda looks away.  
"You're being stupid, like usual." Daisya huffs. "Looks like even all this time hasn't changed you."

"Man, that's too bad." Daisya says. "Ya know, you've got over a hundred years on me now, huh?"

"You're giving me the silent treatment? For what?" Daisya frowns. "You know, if anything, I should be mad at _you._ "  
Kanda doesn't hide it this time. He flinches at Daisya's words; his shoulders hunch and his scowl deepens.  
"I know."  
"What?" Daisya doesn't catch his words, but has a pretty good idea.  
"I _know._ " Kanda turns to him, properly angry. "I _know_ that you should be mad. I…" Kanda grimaces to himself, no longer looking at Daisya - not meeting his eyes. "Dammit, I shouldn't have let that happen to you."  
"Oh." Daisya drops his faux anger, instead falling into sheepishness. "You act like it was your fault."  
"It _was._ "  
"Like hell it was."  
"…It was close enough."  
"Are you serious!?" Daisya doesn't hold himself back and lands a solid punch into Kanda's gut. Kanda doesn't dodge.  
"What the fuck?" Kanda's breath comes out a uneven.  
"Look, I can't believe Mr Stone-face is giving me this shit." Daisya says. "But you need to get it together! God, it looks like you _did_ change, what? Did you go all soft?"  
"Shut up!" Kanda's fist hits Daisya in the face, knocking the boy backwards.

"Woah!" Lavi jogs over, worried.  
"Kanda!" Lenalee reprimands.  
"Idiot." Kanda huffs. "Stupid soccer-obsessed stupid idiot. He can go fuck off with everyone else."  
And with that, he stalks off.

"What did you do?" Allen asks Daisya, who's still on the ground. Regardless, he still has a wide grin.  
"Can't tell ya. Trade secret."

...

 **DAISYA 19**

…

 **Daisya's really hard to write? I guess he didn't get much time for characterisation and stuff, but still :( I hope I did him justice, but I'll take any advice y'all can dish out for me. :3**

 **I'm sorry this came out so short, but i'll try to make the next longer. This just tied last chap up a bit. :))))**

 **Thanks for reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard.**


	29. Chapter 29

**yeah look guys I'm real sorry for the wait I've been having a lot of personal problems as well as school so...**  
 **Thanks for everyone who's stuck with me :) I appreciate every view, favourite, and follow!**  
 **Anyways, on to the story!**

 **…**

 **ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

…

"Oh, Lenalee, where're you going?" Daisya waves down the girl as they cross in the corridor. His new uniform itches slightly at his neck, but the wide hood sits familiarly and comfortably.  
"Ah!" Lenalee smiles widely at him. "I was just going to see Lavi and Allen."  
"They're still in the infirmary, right?" Daisya asks.  
"Yeah, probably for another day or two." Lenalee nods. "I just got back from talking to Supervisor Bailey, he said he wanted to see you too."  
"Huh? Really?"  
"Mmhmm." Lenalee grins. "I'll see you later, okay?"  
"Yeah, sure." Daisya nods and continues forward. "I hope he didn't find out about my lying on all those forms."  
"Don't worry about that." Lenalee laughs. "I think Kanda made most of that stuff up. Mostly for his own privacy, I think."  
"Hey, if he can get away with it, I'll definitely be fine."

…

"Hello?" Lenalee carefully enters the infirmary, scanning the rows of beds for her friends.  
"Yo!" Lavi sits up and waves from his bed. Both him and Allen have been set up farthest away from the door, likely so the nurses in the nearby station can keep and eye on them.  
"Hi." Allen grins.  
"Are you two feeling better?" Lenalee asks.  
"Mostly." Allen answers. "We'll be out tomorrow, probably in the afternoon, though."  
"How's Yuu?" Lavi asks, a smile widening on his face.  
"I haven't seen him around." Lenalee admits. "But he was there at breakfast."  
"And?" Lavi presses.  
"…And he punched Daisya in the face." Lenalee sighs. "Honestly."  
"Is he okay?" Allen asks.  
"Fine." Lenalee nods. "The bruise is mostly gone now, actually. I wonder if Kanda held back."  
"They seem pretty close." Allen smiles. "I bet he's secretly happy."  
"Don't tell him that, though." Lenalee says. "I don't need anymore of you all fighting."  
"It's not _my_ fault-"

"We'll try, Lena." Lavi interrupts. "I promise."

"Uh, yeah, sure." Allen agrees. "I'll try."

"Good." Lenalee nods.  
"So, anything else going on?" Lavi asks. "Being stuck in here is throwing me out of the loop."  
"It's been two days, Lavi." Allen says.  
"Still." Lavi shrugs."  
"Actually," Lenalee smiles. "Bailey's sending me on a mission tomorrow."  
"Huh? Really?" Allen asks. "With who?"  
"Daisya, I think." Lenalee says. "And one of the older exorcists. He said something about us needing the experience."  
"Well, I hope they're ready to be blown away." Lavi grins. "Right?"  
"We're still supposed to be secret, you know." Lenalee says, a matching smile on her face. "But, I suppose it would be good to go on our own missions sooner rather than later."  
"no need to hold back." Allen smiles. "But, it's nice, being able to go out with everyone."  
"There's quite a few exorcists this time," Lavi says. "More than there has been in a while."  
"I suppose we're justing adding to their number. Especially with Daisya now." Lenalee says. "But I guess you're right."  
"Well, knock 'em dead, Lena-lady." Lavi says. "We'll be waiting for you here, okay?"  
"Hopefully not still in _here_ , though." She gestures to the infirmary. "But, yeah. It's only for a day or two at most, so it's okay."

…

"There's three people going?" Daisya frowns. "But, didn't someone say you were low on people?"  
"Well, it's mostly a safety precaution." Bailey says. "You and Mei are still so young. But, once you get more experience, you'll be able to go probably by yourselves… Or at least in pairs."  
"So, who's coming with?" Daisya asks.  
"She'll be here soon." Bailey says. "She's already met Mei, but I'm sure you'll get along fine."

…

"So who's going with you?" Lavi asks.  
"Tarren Shea." Lenalee smiles. "She was there at the party."  
"…Which one was she?" Allen asks. "Sorry, there were a lot of people there."  
"I don't think she was with us once the Akuma attacked." Lenalee frowns. "But she had a large cape on the entire time."  
"Oh, her." Allen nods. "She… seemed nice enough."  
"If not a little serious." Lavi agrees.  
"Well, lucky we didn't get someone bad." Lenalee says.  
"Like that weird blond guy?" Allen asks.  
"Sebastian Zilberschlag." Lavi groans. "What a jerk."  
"Yes, I suppose I am lucky." Lenalee laughs.

…

"Ah, Tarren!" Bailey smiles as a woman enters his office. Daisya spins around to look at her.  
She struts in, her floor-length, black cape swooshing behind her dramatically. Long brown hair matches the fabric in its thickness and wide movements. A large, dark green ribbon ties it all up and out of her sparkling, light blue eyes. She wears a generic uniform, the distinct red bright against all the black.  
"Supervisor." She gives him a wry smile. "What horrors are you putting me through today?"  
"You're taking two of the newer exorcists on a mission." Bailey replies, undeterred by her language.  
"Is this one of them?" She looks over at Daisya blankly. "He wasn't here last I checked."  
"He came yesterday." Bailey explains.  
"Another child, it seems." She frowns. "They'e like flies."  
"Don't be so harsh on them." Bailey says. "They're perfectly fine."  
"If you say so." Tarren walks over to Daisya. With every step her boots click against the floor. Daisya can feel his heart rate jumping.  
"What's your name?" She leans down to look at his face. Daisya wishes his hood went down further. Her eyes sting at his, sharp and powerful.  
"Dian Rogue." He answers, surprised at his steady tone.  
"Hm, fine." She straightens up and turns back to Bailey. "Where are we going?"  
"A town in rural Australia." Bailey frowns. "Apparently its population has hit over eighty percent Akuma."  
"Fuck." Tarren matches his expression. "Any idea why?"  
"None, I'm afraid." Bailey says. "There doesn't seem to be any particular reason for so many Akuma there, but we can't risk it."  
"What's the plan?" She asks.  
"Evacuate and destroy." Bailey says. "We're releasing a forest fire warning to flush out the survivors and then we'll send you in."  
"And if they try to escape?" Tarren asks.  
"We're seine a squad of Finders to intimate evacuations." Bailey explains. "They're quarantine any Akuma they find."  
"Hah?" Daisya interrupts. "How can they tell?"  
Tarren gives him a scathing look but Bailey just smiles. "Akuma skeletons are, primarily, made of metal and dark matter. Our metal detectors can pick up on it."  
"Woah." Daisya's mouth drops open. "That's… really simple, actually."  
"Unfortunately, most Akuma can explain them away as medical implants." Bailey says. "And the amount is so small that lesser detectors can overlook them.  
"Oh." Daisya frowns.

"The detectors the Order have are powerful enough to detect any Akuma." Tarren says. "The rest of the world may not be so fortunate, but perhaps it's best."  
"Huh?"  
"If ordinary people exposed an Akuma, it would likely attack them." Bailey says. "So, it's better to leave them hidden until an exorcist is able to destroy them properly."  
"Oh, okay." Daisya nods.  
"So, how big is the population?" Tarren turns back to Bailey. As the two talk, Daisya's mind wanders, bored. Even in the future, it seems, things have only gotten more complicated.

…

Lenalee sits down at the long table, gently placing down her tray.  
"Hey!" Daisya slides down across from her.  
"Hi, Daisya." Lenalee smiles. "Did you talk to Bailey?"  
"Sure did." He smiles. "Seems like we'll be heading out tomorrow."  
"You seem excited." Lenalee says.  
"Yeah, I guess. "Daisya grins. "I guess it's been a little while. I can't wait to kick some Akuma butt."  
"Have you tried activating your Innocence yet?" Lenalee asks.

"Yeah, that Tarren lady made me." Daisya huffs.  
"And?"  
"And it's pretty much the same as before." Daisya says. "But I think the dent is throwing off my aim."  
"I'm sure you'll get it in no time." Lenalee smiles.  
"I hope so."

…

 **THE NEXT DAY**

"Good to see you again, Mei Myong." Tarren nods to the younger girl.  
"Good morning." Lenalee smiles. "I'm glad we're working together."  
"Hm." Tarren turns to Daisya. "Are you both ready?"  
"Definitely." Daisya sends Lenalee a grin which she returns.  
"Good." Tarren says. "The evacuation has already begun and the Finders have already excluded a dozen Akuma."  
"And they haven't done anything?" Daisya asks.  
"Not yet." She says. "But it won't be long now." She turns to the Ark gate. "It's best if we hurry."

…

"Do you think they've gone yet?" Lavi rolls over to look at Allen.  
"Probably." Allen glances up at the clock on the wall. "It's getting late."  
"Maybe they'll let _us_ go." Lavi laughs. "Hopefully soon."  
"Yeah." Allen agrees. "I don't think I can deal with your twitchiness for much longer."  
"Hey!" Lavi sits up. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
"Nothing." Allen grins.

…

"Woah." Daisya scowls the moment they step out. A sharp wave of heat hits him and he immediately regrets wearing all black.  
"Ugh." Lenalee uses her hand to shield her eyes from the sun. Red sand dances through the hot air, baking under the pounding sunlight. Dried trees lie scattered around them but apart from that they seem to be in the middle of nowhere.  
"Che." Tarren frowns but starts forward regardless. "Let's hurry up and get this over with."  
"I totally agree." Daisya steps away from the gate. "How far away is it?"  
"Not far." Tarren points to a large car waiting for them. "Come on."

…

The car ride is hot, cramped and overall very uncomfortable. Daisya's never been so far south before and the change in climate is a little overwhelming. Swaths of red land pass by at a hundred miles an hour as they speed across the sand. After not too long, Daisya spots the silhouette of a town in the distance.  
"Is that it?" He asks, pressing against the window.

"Yes." The Finder in the driving seat answers. The car swerves, finally, onto a proper road as large trees start to sprout on either side of them.  
"We'll arrive in just under a minute." The Finder says. "Be prepared to exit."

"Ready?" Tarren turns around in the front seat to look at the two in the back.

"Yes." Lenalee answers. Daisya just nods.  
"Good." Tarren turns back to the front. "You'll need to be."

They reach the town soon enough, pulling up to a large, white tent in a wide clearing. Half a dozen Finders stand scattered, speaking to the local inhabitant. Large, square cases stand at their feet, buzzing and glowing slightly.  
"What are those?" Daisya asks, sliding out of the car.

"Those are the metal detectors." Tarren answers. "Watch."

A Finder directs a nervous looking, young lady past the cases. They've been set up in a long line, like a border, for people to pass in between. The woman glances at them suspiciously but passes through nonetheless.  
"It seems like she's one of them." Tarren speaks immediately.  
"How can you tell?" Lenalee asks.  
"That Finder." She points to the one farthest away. A small tablet sits in his hands as he walks over to the woman. "It's too obvious if they set off an alarm or the like, so they send alerts to him."  
"I see." Lenalee nods as she watches the woman get shuffled off to the large tent. "They're keeping them so close?"  
"They'd get suspicious if we take them too far away." Tarren says. "Anyone would."  
"Master exorcists!" A Finder jogs up to them, a large clipboard in hand. "There should only be one or two survivors waiting for evacuation. "But the Akuma re getting restless. I"m almost sure that they're on to us."  
"Never fear." Tarren turns to the other two. "Let's go."

…

 **i would have continued but the chap was getting a bit long and** **I'm** **tired so...  
** **:3 Im planning to fix some continuity stuff soon, but sit tight for that, okay?**  
 **plz tell me if there's any major typos or things here so i can fix 'em.**

 **Thanks for Reading!**

 **-Cheese Wizzard**


	30. Chapter 30

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

 **…**

"Asher?" Katherine trudges into the cluttered office space. The room is strangely silent. It's usually filled with noise and movement but, now, there's only a stray breeze blowing through a half open window. "…Asher?"  
"Ah!" A large pile of papers rustle, shaking sheets loose.  
"Asher?" Katherine steps closer, wary of the unstable heap.  
"Hi!" A large scattering of papers burst forth, spilling into the floor. Asher peeks out of the pile, a thick black book in hand.  
"What are you doing?" Katherine asks, eyeing the book. "What's that?"  
"Don't tell me you forgot!" Asher gasps, shimmying out of the pile and heading over to her desk.  
"What?" Katherine follows her, slumping down onto an empty chair.  
"This!" Asher holds out the book. She opens the front page, which is almost completely empty, except for a tiny name written in black ink.  
"…Who's Timothy Hearst?" Katherine frowns, but in just a second, the realisation hits her. "Hah? These things again?"  
"What?" Asher pulls the book back. "I've barely scratched the surface!"  
"Sure." Katherine leans back. "So? Find out anything?"  
"Maybe." Asher grins.  
"Well?" Katherine sighs. "Just go, then."  
"So, out of the first few exorcists we have records of, most of their journals are missing, see?" Asher explains. "You know, only one of two have survived, since it was such a long time ago." She raises the journal again. "But I just found this one hidden away."  
"And?" Katherine asks.  
"Well, someone had to have taken this one and hidden it somewhere else for a reason, right?" Asher says. "I mean, they didn't take any of the other ones."  
"And what _amazing_ secrets does this hold?" Katherine asks.  
"Well…" Asher giggles, suddenly giddy. "This one talks about the _Heart_."

…

"Here." A Finder pushes up the curtain, letting the three exorcists pass.  
"Thank you." Tarren enters first.  
"This is so weird." Daisya mutters, heading in after her.  
"Yeah," Lenalee agrees. "But, it's a lot better than what we used to do."  
"No kidding."

Inside the tent are a hand-full of benches, all occupied by distressed looking people. Two Finders flank the entrance, looking just as nervous. The one closest to them barely has to look at Tarren before he moves to exit, breathing a sigh of relief.  
"Go on." Tarren turns to the other, who's frozen in place. "We'll take care of this."  
"Y-Yes ma'am." The Finder gives her a shallow bow before stepping away from her post.  
"Also," Tarren stops her. "The last people have gone through, tell everyone to move to a safe distance."  
"Yes ma'am." The Finder nods and ducks out of the tent, leaving the exorcists alone with the mob of Akuma.  
"Alright then." Tarren turns to the Akuma. "I suppose those forms of yours are redundant now."  
" _If you insist_." A rather large man steps forward, his voice more like a growl than human speech.  
"Do what you must." Tarren looks down at Lenalee and Daisya. "It's simple enough, but stay close to me and to each other. _Protect_ each other."  
"Yes ma'am." Daisya grins.  
"Well then," Tarren reaches for the silver clasps of her cape. "Let's begin."

…

"You're free to go." The nurse nods to Lavi, who happily hops out of the bed.  
"Yes!" He cheers, inching towards the door.  
"What about me?" Allen asks, looking at the nurse expectantly.  
"Unfortunately," She frowns. "There are still some… irregularities in your vitals, I'd prefer it if you stayed a little longer."  
"Oh." Allen frowns, but nods. "Okay."  
The nurse retreats, leaving the two boys alone.  
"That sucks, Al." Lavi heads back over.  
"It's fine." Allen shrugs. "It's been ages since I've gotten sick, I guess I'm just making up for lost time."  
"Are you sure?" Lavi frowns. "You never got sick before."  
"Hm?" Allen shrugs. "I guess not."  
"Have you _ever_ gotten sick?" Lavi asks.  
"Have I…" Allen frowns. "Well, not with this." He raises his Innocence arm. "Actually, that _is_ weird."  
"Maybe it's because there was Innocence involved?" Lavi asks. "Who knows what weird stuff it can manage."  
"Yeah, probably." Allen smiles. "Don't worry about it."  
"Well, okay then." Lavi nods.  
"You don't have to stay here with me, you know." Allen says. "Go and, I don't know, get drunk off library books."  
Lavi laughs. "I didn't realise you hated by company so much."

…

"Woah!" Daisya almost trips over himself, sending his bell flying.  
"Dian!" Lenalee grabs his arm, steadying him. "Are you okay?"  
"Fine." Daisya eyes his Innocence, flying around freely. "It's just been a while, is all."  
"It's okay." Lenalee smiles. "I've got your back." Her boots shine bright, easily smashing through the Akuma's shells and knocking away their thick, black bullets.  
As his bell rolls back, Daisya happily kicks it again, sending it ringing through half a dozen consecutive heads.  
"Goal!"  
"Wait!" Lenalee cries, spinning around. "Where'd Tarren go?"  
"Huh?" Daisya scans the tent, or what's left of it anyway. The fabric lies in shreds, torn to pieces and abused. Fallen Akuma lie smoking on the ground, the gas filling the air. The last of them went with that last strike, leaving the field still and quiet.  
"Where'd she go?" Lenalee asks.  
Daisya stops, peering past the smog, trying to make out any forms. A dull silence fills his ears, with only the sad collapsing of the Akuma at his feet making any sound at all.  
"Miss Shea!?" Lenalee calls out. "Where are you!?"  
"This can't be good." Daisya frowns.  
"We could try heading after the Finders." Lenalee suggests. "They shouldn't be too far from here."  
"I guess…" Daisya scowls. "Jeez, where'd she go?"

…

"Get off of me!" Tarren tries for another hit, but the Akuma just dodges, flipping her into the air, still in its grip.  
" _I don't think so!_ " It cackles. Large, metal, bird-like wings push against the air, propelling them far too fast. Thick claws grip at Tarren's leg, sinking deep into her flesh. Desert speeds past below them, taking her far too far away.  
"Where are we going!?" She shouts.  
" _That's for me to know and you to find out!_ " The Akuma laughs. " _Oh, poor little exorcist._ "  
"You bastard!" Tarren is quickly running out of options. Blood rushes to her head, leaving her dizzy and uncoordinated. Her Innocence wraps around her injured leg, unable to do anything to loosen the grip. Its claps tie it together, one against her thigh and the other still around her wrist. The fabric winds and splashes in the wind, its usual strength lost with its accommodator.

"Shit…" Tarren can feel her consciousness waning. She can't look behind her, where the tent and town fade into the distance, and can only hope that those kids are alright.

…

"Look out!" Lenalee hits the dirt hard. A large Akuma speeds past, ripping at the air and knocking the wind right out of Lenalee's lungs.  
"Woah!" Daisya ends up in a similar position, sprawled out on the ground.  
" _Well well well well well…_ " The Akuma floats above them, shaped vaguely like an avocado with stupidly large bat wings.  
"What the hell are you supposed to be!?" Daisya slowly gets back to his feet.  
" _What was that!?_ " The Akuma squawks.  
"Ugh." Daisya covers his ears. "Actually, don't answer that. Or anything. Ever."  
" _You dammed-"_ The Akuma shakes in the air, lowering itself to the ground. " _You're going to regret that!_ "  
"Make me, you oversized tumour!"  
"Daisya!" Lenalee turns to the Akuma. "What do you want?"  
" _Hah!?_ "  
"Speak up." Lenalee says, letting her Dark Boots flare to life. "Did you take Tarren?"  
" _Wasn't me._ " The Akuma chortles. " _Don't worry, you'll soon follow her_."

…

Tarren opens her eyes to a bright light. Surprisingly, she's stationary again. Solid ground, or sand rather, is pressed against her back.  
"Ah, are you awake? Good, because it was getting so _boring_ all by myself."  
"…Huh?" Tarren forces herself up, using one hand to shield herself from the sun. Looking around, she sees a ring of burnt trees around a smaller ring of large, flat rocks.

"Hello!" Her vision is suddenly filled with the face of a young girl.  
"What?" Tarren leans back. "Who are you?"  
"Aw, what?" The girl pouts. "They didn't tell you about me?"  
"What are you talking about?" Tarren contemplates getting to her feet, but the stinging pain in her leg and the dozen or so Akuma floating around them don't seem so accommodating.  
"Well, we'll see soon enough." She giggles. "The others'll be here soon."  
"The kids?" Tarren scowls. "What is it you want?"  
"I'm really lucky, you know." The girl ignores her. "Really, I mean, I get _three_ of you. And for such a tiny little town."  
"You… put the Akuma there?" Tarren frowns.  
"Yup!" The girl grins.  
"But then… that means that you're-"

"Go on."  
"A Noah."

…

" _N-No!_ " The Akuma writes, face presses against the heel of Lenalee's foot.  
"Speak. Up." Lenalee presses harder and the Akuma cries out in pain.  
" _No!_ " It bawls. " _I-I swore to Mistress Road not to tell!_ "  
"Road sent you?" Lenalee's eyes widen.  
" _Ah!_ " The Akuma cries. " _Forget that you heard that!_ "  
"Who's Road?" Daisya asks.  
"A Noah." Lenalee scowls. "She… It's a long story."  
"O…kay." Daisya shrugs. "So, let's go get 'er."  
"Where is she?" Lenalee turns back to the Akuma.  
" _I-I won't tell!_ "  
"We should probably go tell someone." Lenalee says.  
"Like the Finders?" Daisya turns around. "I don't see them anywhere, though."  
"It's fine." Lenalee reaches into her pocket and pulls out her small, black golem. She takes her foot off of the Akuma and turns to Daisya. "Keep it busy, I'll call headquarters."

…

Bailey slumps forward on his desk, sadly poking at a small stack of papers.  
"You're almost there." Jefferson smiles.  
"But if I finish these…" He pokes the pile again. "Then someone's going to come in with a bunch more. My desk is _never_ empty."  
"Well, it won't be if you're always moping." Jefferson says. "If you'd finished those along with the others, your desk would be empty now.  
"I guess…" Bailey sighs, righting himself back up. "Okay." He reaches for the top sheet, pen in hand.

 _Ring! Ring! Ring!_

"Seriously!" Bailey groans, head hitting the table.  
"Hello?" Jefferson picks up the phone.

" _Jefferson?_ "  
"Ah, Mei? Aren't you on a mission right now?"  
" _I am, well, we are, but something's happened._ "  
"Something? Like what?" Jefferson turns to Bailey, who's sat upright again.  
" _I think there's a Noah here_."

…

"Someone's coming." Lenalee says. "Soon."  
"Great." Daisya steps away from the Akuma. "Also, this is going nowhere."  
"Hey." Lenalee crouches down next to the Akuma's face.  
" _Go away! I'm not talking to you!_ " The Akuma averts its gaze. It can't move its non-existent head, since his face is indented into his body.  
"The other Akuma took Tarren away." Lenalee says. "So, you came to get us too, right?"  
" _…_ " The Akuma doesn't say anything.  
"Then, take us there." Lenalee stands back up.  
" _H-Huh?_ " The Akuma finally looks at her.

"Did Road say _how_ to bring us?" Lenalee asks. "I suppose it's fine if you just lead us there."  
" _Uh…_ " The Akuma wriggles. It doesn't get back upright, even though it's no longer being held down. " _I-I mean, I guess._ "  
"Good." Lenalee nods. "Then, let's go."  
"How with out back up find us, then?" Daisya asks, watching the Akuma float back into the air.

"We've got trackers in these." Lenalee holds up the golem. "Besides, we should get to Tarren sooner rather than later. And Road isn't really patient."  
"Right, okay, sure." Daisya nods.

"Let's go." Lenalee turns to the Akuma.

" _Y-Yeah._ " It turns away from them, floating in that direction. " _This way._ "

…

"Huh? Where're you going?" Lavi heads over to the two exorcists by the Ark gate. He takes a second to associate names to their faces. Sal Aafjes shoulders her large, black bow, the same colour as her long hair. Her yellow eyes send him an unamused glance, but she opens her mouth to answer regardless.  
"Never you mind." Sebastian Zilberschlag, revered general, huffs and turns away. His greasy hair shines in the bright light.  
"There's been a Noah sighting." Sal answers, ignoring Sebastian. "We're off to take care of it."  
"A Noah?" Lavi frowns.  
"Your friends." Sal says. "The girl and the new one, they contacted us a minute ago."  
"Are they okay?" Lavi asks.  
"As far as I know." Sal nods. "Do not fear. We will retrieve them."  
"Right."  
"Alright, you can head out now." Bailey, who'd previously been behind the gate, speaks up. "Your golems will lead the way."  
"At last." Sebastian quickly disappears into the Ark.  
"We'll be back soon." Sal gives Bailey a still nod before heading after him.  
"Jon." Bailey heads over to Lavi. "Don't be worried."  
"I…Yeah, I'm fine." Lavi grins. "I mean, five against one should be fine, right?"  
"We're not fully equipped to defeat a Noah, unfortunately." Bailey says. "But, yes, five should be enough for a rescue."  
"I think I'll wait for them." Lavi decides. "Here, it won't take long, right?"  
"It shouldn't, no." Bailey smiles. "I'll go find a chair for you."

…

 **see? slightly better update times... ignoring all my other stories.  
i've been sick again, sorry, i swear it's not on purpose, and some personal things are getting on top of me.**

 **well, anyways, thanks for reading! if there's any disgusting typos or continuity mess-ups then plz tell me!  
Thanks again!  
\- Cheese Wizzard **


	31. Chapter 31

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

…

"You can't be serious." Katherine fixes Asher with a look.  
"I am!" Asher flips through the journal's pages. After a few seconds, she stops and points to the messy passage. "It's the one just before his last, that we saw before, remember? Go on, you read it." She flips it around for Katherine.  
"Fine." Katherine sighs and leans forward to see.

 ** _A bunch of Finders got back today from some secret thing Komui won't tell me about.  
He said not to worry, but now I'm _****really** ** _interested! I snuck over to see them, and I hears them talking about_** **those guys** ** _so that was really weird, but then they started talking about a mission we're getting sent on! They said some exorcists are going out tomorrow since they've found a new Innocence somewhere in the city! Apparently they're super stressed because it's so close to the old headquarters and they never found it then.  
Whatever, I hope it's cool! I wonder if Komui'll let me go…_**

Katherine frowns. "Is that it? There's nothing about the heart here?"  
"Well, this is where it gets interesting." Asher grins. "According to out records, Timothy _did_ go on that mission."  
"And?" Katherine prompts.  
"And once he came back, he wrote this…" Asher slowly turns the page.

Behind the first entry, the entire page has been stained black with ink. Only a tiny mark of white remains in the centre: a perfect heart.  
"Maybe he just got bored." Katherine shrugs.  
"That's not all!" Asher grabs the book again, flipping it all the way to the back page, the dull paper stuck to the leather cover. "Look!"

 ** _I know it's supposed to be a secret, but I feel like I need to tell someone about it even though I know no one's really listening._**

"See that date too!" Asher points to the bottom of the paper, where a tiny date is scribbled. "It's the day after the mission ended, once they failed to recover that bit of Innocence. The official records say that it was destroyed, but look here."

 ** _Komui's pretty upset. He doesn't really know what to think about it. I guess I understand. I mean, after the funeral, I was sure it was over. I guess not._**

Anyways, the thing is… that's where we found

 **them** ** _. For real this time. The first time, Komui says that they just used empty coffins, because they couldn't fine the bodies. They thought that the Noah or the Akuma had disintegrated them. It doesn't make any sense. They all died in different places, at different times.  
Why were they all there?_**

 ** _I guess it doesn't matter now. Since we tried to get them out, I think we activated something. The bodies just disappeared with the Innocence. Hevlaska reckons it shattered, but that can't be right, right?_**

I don't know.

Under the final entry, another mark lies at the bottom of the page: another heart, this time in black.

"That mark-" Asher points to the heart. "That keeps coming up in loads of journals after this one. But _only_ after this date."  
"It's a pretty common symbol." Katherine shakes her head. "It doesn't really mean anything."  
"That's where you're wrong." Asher insist. "They always appear like this, after entries. Or just alone on the page, sometimes with the whole page black or sometimes just the heart. It _has_ to mean something, Katherine."  
"If you're so sure, why don't you tell Bailey?" Katherine asks.  
"I did." Asher pouts. "He said he'd look into it, but he hasn't said anything yet."  
"Give it some time." Katherine says. "I'm sure more clues'll turn up sooner or later."

…

Sebastian steps out of the Gate, surveying their surroundings. The camp of Finders had been demolished, the ashen coats left strewn over the earth.  
"They've already been past here." Sal steps out behind him. "We need to head after the kids."  
"Don't you give me orders." Sebastian steps away from her. " _You_ go babysit. I'll follow their trail."  
"If you're sure." Sal shrugs. She goes off without another word, running off after her golem. She has no idea how far away they are, but hopefully they're not too close to danger.

"Hmph." Sebastian huffs and turns away, to where the ground is peppered with black stars creating a path off into the distance. "Let's hurry and get this over with."

…

"How much further!?" Lenalee calls down to the Akuma beneath them. They zoom over the desert sands, the two teens perched precariously on the metal back.  
" _N-Not far!_ " The Akuma squeaks.

"Good." Lenalee turns to Daisya. "Ready?"  
"Sure." Daisya nods. "Um, just quickly, is this a good idea?"  
"What do you mean?" Lenalee asks.  
"Going to fight a Noah?" Daisya frowns. "I mean, they're pretty strong, right?"  
"Yeah, I'd say so." Lenalee nods. "But, we've fought them before, and won… sometimes."  
"You mean that _you_ have fought them before." Daisya says. "Last time I saw a Noah I…"  
"Sorry." Lenalee says. "But, we just need to help Tarren. She won't last long all by herself."  
"If you say so." Daisya sighs. "Just, promise me that we'll be alright."  
"…" Lenalee looks at him, surprised by his sincerity. "I swear it, Daisya."  
"Thanks." Daisya takes a deep breath. "Okay! Let's get this going!"  
" _There!_ " On cue, the Akuma calls out. Ahead, Lenalee can see the edge of a forest. A small thread of smoke rises from just behind the trees.  
"Come on." Lenalee lets her Dark Boots activate and presses them into the Akuma. "You've done your job."

…

"Really?" Sal frowns as her golem flies in a strange curve. "Where are they going?" Before long, she'll intercept with Sebastian, which was probably always going to happen. It's likely the kids have already joined Tarren with the Noah. Sal just hoped neither of them are hurt.

…

Sebastian stops at the tree-line. The forest extends forward seemingly infinitely, eventually warping into steep mountains and deep chasms. Through the trees, Sebastian can see a larger trail of blackened stumps winding through the valley. With a sigh, he pushes forward. Trust Bailey to send him somewhere so unkempt.

…

"Tarren!"  
Tarren stirs slightly. Her numbed senses slowly flicker to life.  
"Tarren!"  
She recognises the voices. Has she been saved? o, the hard earth beneath her and sharp pain through her body are just the same.  
"Oh, what's that!?" A giddy voice giggles too close. "They're here! They're here!"  
"Road!" Mei's voice, sharp and serious, nothing like the sweetness Tarren heard before.  
"Woah!" Dian, curious and humoured, but the tension behind his words is far too familiar. "That's a lot of Akuma."  
Akuma?" Tarren tries to open her eyes, but the darkness stubbornly remains, even closing in harder and faster. The clicks of cannons send fear running through her. Those kids need to run, they can't possibly make it…

…

"Hello again!" Road waves at Lenalee. She happily skips over, ignoring Tarren's form at their feet.  
"What have you done?" Lenalee asks, remaining still but ready to strike. "Why are you doing this?"  
"Just a bit of fun, you know." Road laughs. "I mean, you're all here, right? I mean some of you." She leans over to look at Daisya. "Hi there."  
"Hi?" Daisya looks over at Lenalee. "What?"  
"I'm really happy, you know." Road says. "There are two more pieces of Innocence coming this way right now!"  
"That's our backup." Daisya mutters.  
"Don't worry." Lenalee says. "We've got this."  
"Everyone'll be so happy." Road grins. "You know, you've caused so much trouble. I mean, ever since the first time." Her smile drops into a somber frown. "I mean, these exorcists now, they haven't even noticed what's happened to us! To the Earl!"  
"What?" Daisya's eyes widen. "I don't get it. "  
"With all your… pestering!" Road send Lenalee a glare. "A-And Allen too! You've made us wait so long!"  
"What's the point of this, Road?" Lenalee presses. "Ever since that day, there's no way that the Earl could… go back to how he was before. You know that. _We_ know that."  
"It's fine, though. It's fine." Road huffs. "I mean, if I get enough of you, maybe Allen'll come!"  
"You're still after him?" Lenalee frowns.  
"Of course!" Road cackles. "He's part of out dear family, after all."  
"I don't get it." Daisya mutters.  
"I'll tell you later." Lenalee says, eyes not moving from Road. "So? What now?"  
"Hm…" Road hums, spinning around. "Maybe we can play a little?"

"Halt!"  
"What's that?" Road looks up, but only for a second. As she peers up at the sky, a large shape descends upon her.  
"Huh!?" Daisya jumps back in surprise. "Hey, isn't that-"  
"Dammit!" A woman appears behind the two teens.

Daisya jumps again. "What!?"

"Sal… Aafjes, right?" Lenalee stares up at her.  
"Get back." Sal holds up her bow, arrow pointing straight at Road.

"Restrain yourself, Noah." Sebastian stands in front of Road, cape flowing behind him dramatically.

"Hah?" Road laughs. "Who're you supposed to be?" She spots the golden lining over his coat, which shines in the bright sunlight. "Oh! That's not bad."

"Come on." Sal takes Lenalee's hand, pulling her back. "We can leave to him."  
"But…" Lenalee glances back to where the two are facing off. Road doesn't seem to be in a hurry, hopping from foot to foot with a wide grin on her face. Sebastian stares back at her. A large, white and shining green mask covers his face, matching the thick lines on his cape. He holds his hands out, ready.  
"It's kinda like Tarren's." Daisya mutter, letting himself get dragged back by Sal.  
Lenalee doesn't say anything, but finds another similarity in the design. She wonders how Allen would think about it.  
"They're Innocences are very similar." Sal agrees. "Tarren's however, is more flexible in application. Sebastian's prefers only to attack, more armour like."  
"Sounds cool." Daisya says. "Can we wait and see?"  
"No." Sal pauses. "Hm. Maybe."  
"Really!?" Daisya gasps.  
"No." Sal tugs at his arm. "We're going back to headquarters."  
"No you're not." Road speaks up, not breaking eye contact with Sebastian.

"Go." Sebastian says. "I'll take care or her."  
"Will you?" Road giggles, finally turning around to look at them. "Let's play."

…

"Sal?" Bailey frowns at the static coming from his phone.  
"Is she okay?" Lavi inches forward. "Are _they_ okay?"  
"I…I'm sure they're fine." Bailey shakes his head. "The reception out there isn't that great anyways."  
"You hear Mei fine." Lavi says. "Are you sure?"  
"…It's fine." Bailey turns away from him. "I can… go check with the others, you stay here, okay?"  
"Sure." Lavi frowns, sitting back in his seat.  
"Okay." Bailey replaces the phone into its holster in the wall. "I'll be back soon."

"…Lena?" Lavi turns to the shimmering gate. Only its faint humming fills the room, its light creating dark shadows across the walls. "Please be okay."

…

"Sal!" Lenalee cries out as the Akuma bullets hit. Sal thew her and Daisya aside, out of the line of fire.  
"Woah!" Daisya trips a little, but remains on his feet. Lenalee is not so lucky, landing on the ground unsteadily.  
"Get away!" Sal emerges from the dust, bow firing rapidly at the Akuma. "I'll take care of this!"  
"No way." Daisya turns to Lenalee, his bell glowing brightly on the chain around his neck.  
"I'll get Road." Lenalee nods, her Dark Boots shining brightly. "You stay with Sal.

"Yes ma'am." Daisya grins as the bell hits the ground by his feet, growing into a good size. "Let's go!" He kicks at the ball, sending it flying through the two nearest Akuma. They burst apart in seconds, the shrill ringing of his Innocence tearing through them easily.

"Isn't this fun?" Road cackles as Sebastian dodges the spray of Akuma bullets. His cape deflects most of them, but the rest he has to jump back from. "Want some more?"  
"Stop messing around!" Sebastian jumps forward, towards the girl, cape twisting around him. "Activate! Shining armour!" As he takes his next step, only a foot in front of Road, this Innocence twists around him, hardening and wrapping until in flattens into a smooth surface. It curls and warps, eventually creating a full suit of silver armour around Sebastian. His mask flutters, extending out into one more akin to s super hero's: the fabric ties at the back of his head and extends into two green, ribbon-like strands.  
"Oh fancy!" Road laughs. "You know, I do appreciate some good showmanship!"  
"Repent, Noah." Sebastian pulls his fist back, now covered in hard, silver spines. "And die."

…

"Cool!" Daisya stares at Sebastian's shining armour. It's form is as literal as it gets; the armour shines brightly in the sun, almost too bright to look at.  
"Stop." Sal steps in front of him, a green arrow piercing through another Akuma. "What are you doing?"  
"My job, of course!" Daisya grins.  
"Your…" Sal shakes her head. "Stay out of trouble."  
"I'd love to." Daisya kicks his ball again, sending it flying. "But it always finds a way of finding me." His Innocence creates a wide arc i the air, eventually coming back to Daisya. It lands perfectly on the ground, caught by his raised foot.  
"So be it." Sal draws another arrow. "Stay close."

…

 **hehehe… woah, am I actually including plot!? who knew it was possible? but, yeah, I'm planning to make it a little heavier with actual plot, now that I have some of it planned already. :P and yes, explanations and such will come in due time. Also the reveal of the kids' real identities and what happened blah blah blah. Well, I'll try to update soon :D**

 **\- Cheese Wizzard**


	32. Chapter 32

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

…

"Hah!?" Katherine is just about ready to wring this poor Finder's neck. The shaking man stands just out of her reach, glancing nervously between her and Asher. "What do you mean!?"  
"G-General Zilberschlag and Miss Aafjes j-just left to go help them!" He squeaks, looking wistfully towards the exit.  
"And how long ago was that?" Katherine goes down on the man, leaning forward until just inches from his face.  
"T-Ten minutes, ma'am." The Finder takes tiny step back, which doesn't go unnoticed.  
"Fine!" Katherine throws her hands in the air. "Where's Bailey!? Take me to him!"  
"Yes ma'am!" The Finder all but bolts to the door, Katherine hot on his tail.

"…Well, then." Asher looks down at the journals covering her desk. "Best to get back to it."

…

"Bailey!" Katherine storms into Bailey's office. The Supervisor stands in front of his desk, rummaging frantically through the large pile of papers.  
"Katherine?" Bailey turns to look at her. "Wha? What now?"  
"A Noah!?" Katherine stalks forward. "Seriously!?"  
"It wasn't my idea." Bailey pacifies. "Look, I'm sure everyone will be fine, I-"  
"Are you!?" Katherine huffs.  
"I… don't think I've ever seen you so worked up." Bailey notes.  
"Don't change the subject!" Katherine snaps.  
"No, I'm serious." Bailey says.  
"And I am too!" Katherine insists. "Do you know what's happening to the kids?"  
"Sal reported a minute ago." Bailey says. "She and Sebastian found them, they're _fine_ , Katherine."  
"Che." Katherine takes a deep breath, stepping away from Bailey.  
"Sal's bringing them back as soon as she can." Bailey continues. "I…I know how this must feel for you."  
"Fuck you." Katherine shakes her head. "No you don't."  
"You're right." Bailey nods. "But… I'm your friend, okay? So, I try."  
"You're so stupid." Katherine takes another breath. "…Where's the other ones?"  
"Jonathan's waiting by the gate." Bailey answers with a smile. "I think Ray's still in the infirmary. And I'm sure that no one every knows where Akai is."  
"Good." Katherine turns around, heading for the exit. "Good."

…

"Road." Lenalee stands across from the Noah. Behind Road, she can see Sebastian wobbling to her feet, a dozen or so pointed candles embedded into the ground by his feet.  
"Ah, hi Dolly~." Road giggles. "Are you the same as before? Or have you gotten all weak again? Because if so, that'd be no fun."  
"How about you come and find out?" Lenalee glares, crouching down.  
"As fun as that sounds…" Road grins. "How about we play a little longer like… _this!?_ " A fresh wave of Akuma bullets rain down. Smoke and dust burst into the air, filling Lenalee's vision.  
"I think… I've had enough for now." Road's voice cuts through the air, but her silhouette has vanished from sight.  
"Road!" Lenalee spins around, but all she can see are spinning shades of brown staining the air.  
"Bye~!" Road laughs. "I wanted to play longer, but I have some… other things to take care of. Like…"  
"Road-" Lenalee is cut off by a scream, one that sends child down her spine and one she's heard far too many times before.  
"Tarren!" Sal's distraught voice reaches Lenalee next. The cold edge to her words is lost as her footsteps ring against the ground. "Tarren!"  
"What on Earth!?" Sebastian swears, a little farther away.  
"Lenalee." An arm grips hers and Lenalee has to restrain herself from slapping it away. Daisya looks at her nervously. "What happened?"  
"Come on." Lenalee pulls him forward, to where Sal's voice continues to cry.

…

"Oh, it's you." Kanda barely spares the older exorcist a glance. He goes back to pulling Mugen out of the destroyed dummy. The wood at its core likes to hold too tightly onto the metal, making it harder to remove with each strike.  
"What are you doing?" Katherine asks, wandering over.  
"What's it look like?" Kanda huffs turning to her.  
"The Finders say you've been down here all day." Katherine clarifies. "Do you never eat?"  
"I'm not hungry." Kanda turns back to the dummy.  
"That was the last of them." Katherine says. "…Are you worried?"  
"About what?" Kanda scoffs.  
"Your friends." Katherine rolls her eyes. "No matter what you say, it's strange how much you care."  
"Don't act like you know me." Kanda fixes her with a look.  
"I guess I don't." Katherine shrugs. "Whatever. Jon's waiting by the gate."  
"Why should I care?" Kanda asks.  
"Who knows." Katherine turns around. "I just thought I'd let you know."  
"Fine." Kanda says. "And you've let me know. Goodbye."

Katherine exits without another word. She doesn't know why she went to talk to him, she should have expected such a reaction. She… saw too much of herself in him, maybe. She used to act like she didn't care, not until too late. She should make sure these stupid kids don't make the same mistakes.

"Worried." Kanda shakes his head. "How stupid." As if he's be worried. About who? Lenalee is plenty strong enough to take care of herself. He's seen her take down a Noah all on her own, no, he's not worried. And Daisya? Kanda hopes experience will teach him to stay out of the way. Besides, there's five exorcists, including a general, there's no way something could go wrong.

…He's not worried, right?

…

"Katherine." Keith is waiting outside for her.  
"What?" She stops and looks at him.  
"Bailey wants to see you." Keith says. "He said that he wanted to tell you something. I think something's happened."  
"Something like what?" Katherine asks.  
"I don't know." Keith shakes his head. "You should go see."

…

"Yuu?" Lavi twists in his seat to see the older teen enter the silent room.  
"Che." Kanda shrugs, and leans up against the wall, fixing his eyes on the gate.  
"…Okay." Lavi takes a breath. "Okay."

Lavi doesn't mind the silence. Somehow, the presence of his… _friend_ calms his nerves somewhat. However, it doesn't take long for the quiet to start itching. Lavi taps his foot against the ground, checking his watch every few seconds, as if that would make something happen. He opens his mouth, searching for something to say.

"Help!" The familiar voice screams through the gate only a seconds before its source. Lenalee tumbles out of the light, hands and clothes covered in bright red blood.  
"Lena!" Lavi jumps up and is at her side in an instant. "What happened!? Are you hurt!?"  
"N-Not me." Lenalee shakes her head. "T-They are-"  
"Hey!" Daisya appears next, gaping at Lavi and Kanda. "I-Is there someone here who can-"

"Move!" Sebastian ploughs through the two teens. Two forms hang over his shoulders, one on either side. Blood drips down his armour, leaving deep red streaks that disappear once they reach his uniform.  
"Yuu-" Lavi turns to the older teen, but he's already off, running towards the exit.  
"Where's Bailey?" Lenalee grips Lavi's arm.  
"In his office." Lavi answers, pulling her away from the gate. "What happened?"  
"R-Road." Lenalee chokes, tears steaming down her face. The liquid shines in the light, glistening brightly on her skin and in her eyes. "S-She wasn't alone, a-at least, she wasn't at the end."  
"Huh?" Lavi turns around to where Sebastian is laying the two bodies on the floor. Their faces are mostly obscured by thick blood running from the dozens of wounds all over their bodies. Lavi dully notes that one of them doesn't appear to have their legs…  
"Sebastian!" Bailey appears beside them, eyes wide and face dripping with sweat. "The nurses will be here soon!"  
"Good!" Sebastian steps away. His breathes come out in loud heaves; Lavi notices that the man has his own injury to the abdomen which is spewing its own wave of blood.  
"Jon." Bailey pulls Lavi aside. "Take Mei and Dian away from here. They don't need to stay."  
"Okay." Lavi nods, turning to his friends. "Come on."

…

"Oi." They meet Kanda in the hall, who's leading a charge of a dozen or so doctors and nurses. They continue even as he stops. "Where're you going?"  
"Away from here." Lavi answers. "I was hoping somewhere quiet."  
"Where's Allen?" Lenalee asks, finally regaining some of her composure.  
"Still in the infirmary." Lavi says. "They said that he's still a little sick."  
"O…Okay." Lenalee nods. "Can we go see him?"  
"I don't see why not." Lavi says. "Are you sure?"  
"Yeah." Lenalee says. "I… I just never get used to it."  
"It's okay." Lavi says. "I don't think I ever did."

…

"Oh, kids." Asher stands in front of the infirmary door. She looks inexplicably tired. "What are you doing here?"  
"We wanted to see Ray." Lavi says.  
"You…" Asher frowns. "Didn't Lexer tell you?"  
"Tell us what?" Lenalee asks.  
"He wanted Katherine to tell you, I think." Asher mutters. "Where is she?"

"Hey!" Katherine rounds a corner, suddenly, almost colliding with the small group. "You kids move way too fast!"  
"Katherine." Asher gives her a small wave. "Um…"  
"Right." Katherine draws the four's attention. "Um, look, Bailey wanted me to tell you… Ugh, this would have been better without Sal and Tarren…"  
"What is it?" Lenalee asks, a swell of anxiety filling her already turning stomach. "I-Is Ray okay?"  
"He…" Katherine scowls. "I'm sorry, kids."  
"What?" Kanda glares at her. "What is it?"  
"A little while ago, he collapsed." Katherine explains. "…We still don't know why."  
"What?" Lenalee gasps. "What happened?"  
"The doctors are still looking into it." She can't meet their eyes. She doesn't want to see their fearful expressions staring up at her somber one. "But they can't seem to wake him up."

…

 **Ah, I know it's really short, but this was the best place to cut it sorry!  
Please tell me if there's any super bad typos of continuity stuff and I super appreciate any feedback you guys have to offer.  
Thanks for reading!**

 **\- Love from,  
the Cheese Wizzard**

 **EDIT! Thanks Mashiro Ruri for pointing out a mistake I made. Hopefully no one else saw...**


	33. Chapter 33

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

…

Lavi leans back onto his bed, staring up at the black ceiling and surrounded by black walls. Even like this, it's hard to tell how high they go. He wonders if he should go do something, talk to Lenalee, go to the library or just wander around like he usually does. He'd rather go to sleep, but it won't come. Abandoning his bed, Lavi stands up. He grabs his coat from its spot hanging over the back of his chair and slips it on. The metal fastenings always feel ice cold against his skin but the coat itself is warm. He heads to the door, making sure to lock it behind him as he leaves. Who knows, maybe the others are still awake too.

…

"What's the situation?" Katherine scowls across Bailey's desk.  
"Bad." Bailey sighs, putting down the phone. "The townspeople got away alright, but none of the Finders are picking up."  
"You should probably stop trying." Katherine suggests. "Let the Communications guys take care of it. You need some sleep, it's late."  
"You too." Bailey turns to her. "How long have you been awake?"  
"I'm fine." Katherine shakes her head. "I'll find something to do. I reckon Asher's still up."  
"She's always up." Bailey smiles. "It's a real mystery to how she does it."  
"I'll go interrogate her." Katherine grins and stands up straight.  
"Well, of anyone, she'd tell you." Bailey laughs. "…You're right, I think I'll get some sleep."  
"Good." Katherine nods. "God knows you need a break."  
"We _all_ need a break." Bailey says.

"I can't disagree with that." Katherine starts towards the door.  
"Good night, Katherine." Bailey calls.  
"Yeah, good night."

…

 **THE NEXT MORNING**

"Hey, Katherine." Asher leans over the sleeping exorcist. "You're covering my notes."  
"Go away." Katherine groans, turning her head to look up at the scientist. "What time is it?"  
"It's eight." Asher smiles. "In the morning."  
"Huh?" Katherine peels her head off of the desk.  
"You knocked out a couple hours ago." Asher grins. "I couldn't bare to wake you." She points at the papers underneath Katherine, now slightly crunched up. "But I need those for Lexer."  
"Oh, right." Katherine backs her chair up, the legs squeaking against the floor. "Sorry."  
"Don't worry about it." Asher smiles, grabbing the papers. "Go and get some breakfast, I'll still be here."  
"You want anything?" Katherine asks, getting to her feet.  
"Coffee." Asher says. "Lots."  
"Aye aye." Katherine nods. "I'll be back."

…

"What do you think?" Lenalee leans into the tiny alcove, shadows swallowing her form.

"Unfortunately, it could be anything." Lavi stands in front of her, leaning up against a dark curtain. Line steams past behind it, illuminating the dusty shelves and ageing furniture. "Neah, Crown Clown… The Earl?" Lavi sighs. "Or, he's actually just sick, which isn't much better, actually."  
"And the doctors wont tell us anything." Lenalee frowns.  
"…You know he'll be okay, right Lena?" Lavi tries for a smile. "We usually are. He usually is."  
"Usually." Lenalee echoes.  
"Well, I'm being realistic." Lavi shrugs. "But Al's tough, you know? He's been through some shit and still come through alright."  
"Yeah." Lenalee smiles. "I guess." It drops back into a frown as she leans back into the darkness. "Do you think we're going to have to start again?"  
"I don't think he's that out of it." Lavi grins.  
"Not like that." Lenalee shakes her head. "Not just Allen. Do you really think we'll make it this time?"  
"It depends on what you mean, Lena." Lavi says. "I…I don't really know why this keeps happening."  
"I wish I could remember." Lenalee says, eyes dropping down to where her red Innocence gleams in the light. "I want to remember what happened in those last few days, after the fight with the Earl."  
"Me too." Lavi nods. "Maybe we'll find out this time."  
"…Maybe."

…

 ** _…_** ** _Allen._**

 _Huh?  
_ ** _Come on, kid, stop sleeping._**

 _Neah?_

Allen's eyes snap open to a black and white world. A black moon hangs in a pure white sky, matching the black sand and burnt trees around him.

"Oi."  
Allen spins around to where a familiar man stands before him.  
"Neah?" Allen frowns. "What happened?"  
"Nothing good." Neah scowls. He doesn't look any older, Allen notes, or younger, but his usually grey skin and gold eyes have turned fleshy and brown respectively.  
"What?" Allen looks around. "This… It looks different."  
"It's been like this for a while." Neah shrugs. "It keeps changing. You'd know if you came and visited once in a while." Neah flashes him a sly grin.  
"Like I'd want to come here." Allen huffs. "It's never anything good."  
"Well, we're not breaking the record." Neah nods. "Come with me, I need to show you something."

…

Neah leads Allen down a grey road peppered with small stones. Neah doesn't say anything, which only heightens Allen's worries. As they continue, Allen can feel the world curving beneath his feet. He wonders if they'll end up back where they started if they walk far enough.

"Here." Neah stops, startling Allen out of his musings.  
Allen peers past the man, to where a black body of water rises up to the sand.  
"What is it?" Allen asks.  
"Bad." Neah scowls, crouching down to the water's edge. "Don't touch it."  
"I wasn't going to." Allen says, stepping around Neah for a closer look. "…What is it?"

"Look." Neah points to the surface. "Wait."  
"Hm?" Allen waits, staring into the inky blackness. Not a second later, he feels a strange rumbling shake the ground beneath him. At the same time, the black water bubbles and smokes, releasing thick darkness into the air.  
"What?" Allen recoils, stepping back from the edge.  
"It's been growing for a little while now." Neah says. "It was fine before… but recently…." He scowls again, getting to his feet. "It's looking bad."  
"You're very bad at answering questions." Allen says with a frown. "What. Is. It?"  
"The Earl." Neah turns to look at him, expression solemn. "The part of him within me, within you. Something's getting him excited."  
"That's…" Allen shakes his head. "I thought that we took care of him."  
"Yes, the 'Earl' out there-" Neah gestures upwards. "He's unquestionably been handicapped for the last hundred years, but something is changing."  
"What is?" Allen asks.

"I've no idea." Neah admits.  
"Couldn't you have told me while I was awake?" Allen asks. "I mean, not that I dislike your company-"  
" _I_ didn't bring you here." Neah interrupts. "That did." He points to the water.  
"How?"  
"The more of it there is, the less of _you_ there is." Neah points to the white sand. "You're losing control."  
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" Allen asks.  
"It only started recently." Neah says. "And I _tried_." He sighs. "This thing is interfering with me too."  
"That's why you've been so quiet." Allen realises. "I mean, you're not around that much normally, but it's not like I didn't notice."  
"Thanks." Neah nods. "I'm glad to know that I've been missed."  
"So?" Allen asks. "…What can we do?"  
"Very little, I'm afraid." Neah says. "The best way would be to… depose the current Earl, but in here that's not quite possible."  
"So, it'll be like the first time." Allen's face drops. "When he-"  
"Well, there is one way to help, I'd say." Neah says. "But, I couldn't do anything without you here."  
"What way?" Allen asks.  
"Isn't it obvious?" Neah gestures to Allen's left arm. "Every time you… come back, the Innocence reverts into its raw state, meaning you have to power it back up again from the beginning." He pauses. "Well, you do get to skip a few hurdles, I suppose."  
"Crown Clown… right." Allen nods. "It's helped with this a few times, right?"  
"That's the plan." Neah says. "But it won't listen to me."  
"What should I do?" Allen asks.  
"Go say hi." Neah shrugs. "I won't claim to know anything about Innocence."  
"Fine." Allen sighs. "Is it…?"  
"Right where you left it." Neah gestures back the way they came. "…I'll wait here. It doesn't like me very much."  
"No one likes you very much." Allen says, stepping back towards the path.  
"Oh, you don't mean that!" Neah calls after him.  
"You don't know that!" Allen calls back, jogging down the path, and out of earshot.  
"Stupid kid." Neah sighs, turning away and back to the water. He scowls at the black liquid, noting how its inched towards his feet. "Don't you dare." He glares, but it expectedly does no good. "…I won't let you. Not this time. Not again."

…

Allen jogs across the sand, passing the wider strait in which he's first arrived. As he continues, the path turns to white stones, fitted perfectly against each other in plethora of geometric patterns.

Another few steps and a white monument appears in front of Allen, a quartz-like, antique temple only a meter or two wide with a rotating green crystal in its centre.

"Crown Clown." Allen smiles as he approaches. The Innocence hums happily too, letting Allen step up onto its elevated platform.  
"I…uh, I need you help." Allen tries, smile dropping. "You probably already know."  
Crown Clown seems to hum in agreement, shining brightly in the white light.  
"What should I do?" Allen asks. "What _can_ we do?"  
Crown Clown shudders in its spot, surprising Allen.  
"What are you-" The Innocence bursts forth, hitting Allen in the chest and throwing them both backwards, out onto the sand.  
"Ow…" Allen sits himself up, gripping his chest with his left hand instinctively. "Crown Clown?"  
Another hum radiates from within Allen's chest, but its not uncomfortable.  
"…Okay." Allen nods, only a little bit sure about what's happened. "I'll leave it up to you."

…

"Huh, what do you know." Neah grins, watching the water fall further and further away. The hard stone beneath him spills the sand into the depths, but he pays it no mind. The ground continues to rise until its put a good there meters above itself and slows to a stop. "I guess that rock is good for something after all."

"Neah!?" Neah spots a head of white hair running at him, an expression of relief across the teen's face. It takes Neah a little too long to figure out what's wrong.  
"Hah?" Neah frowns as Allen comes to a stop in front of him. "Your hair's back."  
"It is?" Allen peers upwards, pulling a few strands down over his eyes. "Oh, looks like it."  
"Have fun explaining that to your friends." Neah grins. "Now, hurry and get out of here."  
"I can leave now?" Allen asks. "How?"  
"Easy." Neah reaches out to Allen. "Like this."  
"Ow!"

…

"Ah!" Allen's head snaps upwards. His sleepy gaze is met by a surprised one.  
"Nurse!" The young scientist flails as she falls backwards.  
"…Grace?" Allen recognises the girl's shining, pale violet eyes. Her black hair is knotted and greasy, like her uniform.  
"Ray!" She sits up, smiling nervously. "You're awake!" She pauses, eyes growing wide. "Woah! Your hair's so pretty!"  
"Oh, yeah." Allen grins. As much as he likes having red hair, he reckons the white strands suit him better.  
"Are you feeling better?" Grace asks, leaning over his bed.  
"Yeah, I think so." Allen smiles, rubbing his arm.  
"Ah, are you okay?" Grace notices the motion.  
"Oh, yeah, it's fine." Allen nods, lowering his hand.

 **"** **Wow, you really scared her, eh?"  
** _"Why are you always jerk?_ " Allen silently hisses. " _That hurt, you know."_

 **"** **It's traditional."** Neah laughs. **"A pinch on the arm to wake you up."  
"** _'A pinch' my ass._ " Allen huffs. " _Do you ever hold back?_ "  
 **"I never do anything half-way."** Neah says. **"Ah, your friends looking at us."  
** "Hm?" Allen refocuses his vision to look over at Grace, who's staring at him intently. "What?"  
"You're probably still tired." Grace decides. "I'll… I'll go get the nurse."

Grace scurries out, past the white curtain drawn all around Allen's bed. A heart rate monitor beeps by his side.  
 **"Can't you stop that?"** Neah complains.  
"The machine?" Allen mutters, looking over at it. "Or my heart?"  
 **"Either."**  
"No." Allen says. "I'd rather not die, thank you very much."  
 **"Hm, fine."** Neah huffs. **"Let's just hurry and get out of here."**

"Mister Martin." An aged nurse throws the curtains aside, letting them slide away noisily.  
"Ah, hello." Allen waves.  
"How are you feeling?" She approaches, back straight and chest forward. She creates an intimidating silhouette against the stark white lights.  
"F-Fine." Allen leans back into her pillow, inching away as the nurse brings her face closer and closer.  
"Grace." The woman turns to look at the girl. "Go fetch the Supervisor."  
"Ah, yes!" Grace nods. She pauses to give Allen a small smile. "See you soon!"

"Here." The nurse sits by Allen's side, examining the heart-monitor and all it's tiny indicators. "Hm… Well, you seem well enough." She fixes him with a suspicious look. "Any explanation?"  
"U-Uh…" Allen sweats.  
 **"Your Innocence?"** Neah suggest. **"Blame the rock. Also, take a look."**

"Hm?" Allen peers downwards, pulling his left hand free of the white sheets. The previously red skin, reminiscent of the rawness of the Innocence, has been flattened and dyed black. The green stone sits a deep, bloody red, indented into the flesh.  
"Hm." The nurse squints at the hand. "You'll probably have to go to Hevlaska about that."  
"Right, okay." Allen slides his arm back under the sheets. "Sure."

"Ray!" Bailey pushes the curtains aside, eyes wide.  
"Hello." Allen smiles.  
"Woah!" Asher jumps out from behind the man. "You're up!"  
"Yeah." Allen nods. "Um… how long has it been?"  
"It's been eight days." Asher frowns. "Everyone was super worried, you know?"  
"Eight days?" Allen repeats. " _Neah!?_ "  
 **"Don't blame me!"** Neah defends. **"I didn't know! I'm not the best at keeping track of time, you know."  
** " _Whatever_." Allen takes a deep breath before turning to Bailey. "Is… Can I see everyone?"  
"Soon." Bailey smiles, relieved.  
"He'll need to see Hevlaska." The nurse says. "He's beyond me."  
"What?" Asher asks. "Oh, nice hair, kiddo."  
"Thanks." Allen raises a hand to it.  
"Look here." The nurse grabs Allen's left hand. "I won't claim to know anything about it."  
"I see." Bailey nods. "Then, we'll take you to Hevlaska, first. Then we'll try and round up your friends."  
"Thank you." Allen grins.  
"Are you fit to walk?" Bailey asks.  
"Ah… maybe." Allen shrugs, pulling his legs over to the side of the bed.  
"No, nope." The nurse protests. "You're not walking out of here like that." She stands, heading away from them. "I'll go find a chair for you."

…

 **hehehehe**

 **sorry if this was too confusing, i'll try to add some more explanation-y stuff next chappie!  
plz message me if there's any major continuity problems, thanks!**

 **Thanks so much for reading!**

 **Love from,  
The Cheese Wizzard**


	34. Chapter 34

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

 **…**

" _Hm… Well, at least you're not in immediate danger anymore."_ Hevlaska holds Allen up, out of earshot of Bailey and Asher down below.

"That's what I'd hoped." Allen nods.  
" _And are you feeling okay?_ " Hevlaska asks. _"How about Neah?_ " She drops her voice to a whisper.  
"Fine." Allen smiles. "A little angsty."  
 **"Wow, okay."  
** _"Well, I'm glad that he's looking out for you."_ Hevlaska says, a little pointedly.  
 **"Yes, ma'am."  
** "So, uh…" Allen shifts. "What happened to me?"  
" _What do you mean?_ " Hevlaska asks.  
"With Crown Clown, I mean." Allen says, glancing down at the people below.  
" _Your synchronisation has certainly increased._ " Hevlaska says. " _I suppose with time it gets easier._ "  
"What is it now?" Allen asks.

" _You're very close to becoming critical again_." Hevlaska hums. " _Around ninety-eight percent_."  
"Are you going to tell them?"  
" _It's better, for now, for them to not be aware of how fast you are progressing._ " Hevlaska decides. " _There's no question that your Innocence has evolved, and I'm sure that it'll be explanation enough_." She smiles.  
"Thank you." Allen smiles back.

" _Here_." Hevlaska lowers him back down into a silver wheelchair the nurse had procured.  
"What's the verdict?" Bailey steps forward.  
" _Innocence is certainly a strange thing_." Hevlaska says. " _Young Ray's had decided to change forms. There's little doubt that the suddenness of the change caused his body some stress_."  
"So… he's okay?" Asher asks.

" _With a little rest, yes_." Hevlaska smiles.

"That's a relief." Bailey turns to Allen. "I think I'll speak with Hevlaska a little more, but you're free to go."

…

Lavi leans stoically over the library table, the chosen haunt for the teens over the last week. The elderly librarian didn't pay them any mind as long as they stayed quiet. But, she was out right now, probably at lunch, leaving the large room almost completely silent sans the slow turning of pages.  
"What's that?" Lenalee, across from him, leans over to peer at the cover of the large volume.

"Histories of Bolivia." Lavi drawls.  
"Sounds boring." Kanda huffs, staring out the window from his seat right up against the glass.  
"Gramps hated these ones." Lavi mutters, turing to the cover. "There's over thirty volumes all about African countries and they're all stupidly dull."  
"Hm…" Lenalee leans back, trying to focus on the book of Chinese mythology. She's read novels like this hundreds of times and they always seem to calm her down.

"Well, well, well."  
"Hm?" Lavi looks up to see Katherine standing over them. It's not surprising to see her, since she's been reappearing almost everyday. Lavi knows that she's genuinely worried, so he doesn't mind her company, even if she gets a little intrusive.  
"You kids come here often?" Katherine's wearing a wide grin, which surprises Lavi. All anyone had been wearing were solemn looks and nervous glances, but Katherine all but beams at the trio.  
"What?" Lavi sits up. "Did something happen."  
"Something." Katherine nods, smile wry. "…Want to see?"  
"What is it?" Lenalee asks, getting to her feet.  
"Oh, don't worry." Katherine gestures for her to sit down. "It's only good news."

"Guys!" The door swings open again, this time with an audible bang. The first thing Lavi notices is a widely grinning Asher skipping forward. As his eyes travel downwards, he spots a familiar face wearing a very familiar smile.  
"Oh my gosh!" Lenalee springs up again, eyes wide.  
"About time." Kanda gets up, too.

"We'll leave you to it, if that's alright?" Katherine nods to Asher, go laughs.  
"Be good, kids!"

Katherine drags Asher out, pulling the doors closed behind her. Before she disappeared behind the hard oak, she catches Lavi's eye one last time.  
"Thank you." Lavi grins.  
Katherine just nods and disappears, leaving the four alone.  
"Allen!" Lenalee jumps on the boy, pushing the chair backwards a little.  
"What happened?" Lavi leans in too, swinging an arm around Allen's shoulders.  
"Look." Allen holds up his arm, previously hidden under a white blanket.  
"Ah, it's changed?" Lenalee reaches out to touch it.  
"Actually, there was a bit of a problem." Allen's smile falters.  
"What kind of problem?" Lavi frowns.  
Neah silently grimaces. **"Here we go."**

…

" _Don't worry so much._ " Hevlaska watches Bailey pace back and forth through the large chamber.  
"I'm not worried." Bailey shakes his head.  
" _These sudden developments aren't very rare, you know_." Hevlaska continues. " _Especially with the kind of exorcists those kids are_."  
"I know." Bailey sighs.  
" _Since their Innocence actively searched them out_." Hevlaska doesn't stop, watching Bailey carefully. " _They easily fall into the same category,_ and _it's very common for things like this to happen_."  
"I'm… yes, yes." Bailey leans up against the rail, staring down into the rings of Innocence below.  
" _Then, what is worrying you?_ " Hevlaska asks.  
"…I don't know." Bailey shakes his head. "I just… I'm still new at this, Hevlaska."  
" _And you're doing a wonderful job._ " Hevlaska says.  
"But…" Bailey scowls. "Sal and Tarren-"  
" _Were not your fault."_ Hevlaska insists. " _These things… they're bound to happen. That's the risk we all face._ "  
"They didn't have a choice." Bailey says. " _I_ did, by joining the Order in the first place, but they didn't… Those kids didn't either."  
" _Those kids…_ " Hevlaska nods. " _I see._ "  
"I don't know what I should do." Bailey says. "…What _should_ I do?"  
" _Sometimes, there's little we_ can _do."_ Hevlaska says. " _The best thing is to do as you've been doing._ " Hevlaska gives the man a smile. " _Be kind, be strict, be as you are. And, when times are rough, listen and act and trust in your comrades._ "  
"You've lived through a lot, haven't you?" Bailey looks up at Hevlaska sadly.  
" _Far too much._ " Hevlaska agrees. " _But, I'd do it all again so that you, and everyone, can keep fighting._ "

…

"What'd she tell them?" Kanda frowns. "not the truth?"  
"No, she won't, I think." Allen nods. "She figured they'd get suspicious."  
"True enough." Lavi agrees. "They'd definitely notice if you became critical in your sleep."  
"I'm not critical." Allen corrects. "Not yet, anyways."  
"Well, I'm sure it won't be long." Lavi says. "For all of us." He pauses, staring at Allen intently.  
"What?" Allen frowns. "What are you looking at?"  
"This." Lavi reaches out pointing into Allen's left eye.  
"What about it?" Allen asks.  
"Didn't you just hurt it?" Lavi asks. "You had an eyepatch and everything, that's meant to be my thing."  
"Yeah, good going on that." Allen says, staring into both of Lavi's green eyes. "I don't know, I just woke up without it."  
"I guess they checked it up and it was fine." Lavi shrugs. "Weird."  
"I hope they didn't get too suspicious." Allen frowns. "Road tends to push pretty far."  
"Gross, Allen." Lenalee pulls a face.  
"Well, we already know that that eye of yours heals itself fine." Lavi says. "I guess it makes sense."  
"But _they_ don't know that." Allen says.  
"Well, did they properly see the injury when it happened?" Lavi asks. "I mean, it took a little while for you to get back to the infirmary, maybe it'd already healed some of the way, enough that it wouldn't be strange."  
"I guess…" Allen nods. "Well, no one really said anything, so it's fine, I guess."

"Well, what about the Earl, and everything?" Lenalee asks. "What should we do?"  
"We really don't know enough." Lavi says. "It'd be too dangerous to try anything now."  
 **"I have an idea."** Neah says.  
"What is it?" Allen asks, aloud.  
"What was that, Allen?" Lenalee looks at him strangely.  
"Oh, Neah said that he had an idea." Allen says.  
"What is it?" Lavi asks.  
 **"Well, if you had let me finish-"  
** "Hold on." Allen says. " _What is it?_ "  
 **"Well, there is one person here who you've dutifully been ignoring."  
** "Who?" Allen frowns. The other three watch him expectantly.  
 **"While he can't help with the Earl probably directly, he might have some advice."** Allen can clearly imagine the sly grin on Neah's face.

"What is it?" Lavi presses. "Who?"  
"It's…" Allen's expression drops. "Huh!?"  
"What?" Lenalee leans forward.  
"…Master?"

…

"Oi, Ecan."  
"Fuck off." Ecan glances over at the blond woman. Her hands are on her hips and her face is sour.  
"It's not like I _want_ to talk to you." Katherine scoffs. "But, Bailey said that I had to, so you'd stop skulking around."  
"Hah?" Ecan gives her a look. "And what's that? Spit it out."  
"Can you stop being so rude?" Katherine shakes her head. "Whatever. I just had to tell you that the kid's awake."  
"Awake, huh?" Ecan grins. "Good."  
"Don't do anything fucking weird, got it?" Katherine scowls. "Pervert."  
"I do what I want." Ecan swipes a cigarette out from his pocket, bringing it to his lips.  
"Whatever." Katherine steps away. "But know that I'll be keeping an eye on you Lando."  
"Be my guest." Ecan grins.  
"Fuck's sake…" Katherine turns and walks away, out of the dim corridor. She's had enough of the creep for the day.

…

"…Doesn't he have a mohawk now?" Lavi asks.  
"And his Innocence is in a pair of gloves, isn't it?" Lenalee frowns. "Are we sure that it's him?"  
 **"Oh, for sure."** Neah insists.  
"Neah's pretty sure." Allen translates.  
"Is there a way to check?" Lavi asks. "Without giving us away?"  
 **"Where's the fun in that?"** Neah cackles.  
 _"Shut up."_ Allen sighs. "I guess we can just try talking to him."  
"He's really young, isn't he?" Lenalee adds. "twenty or thirty at the most."  
"I guess even our ages are a bit messed up." Lavi says, looking over at Allen. "You're, what, twelve?"  
"Thirteen." Allen corrects. "And, shut up."  
"I suppose so." Lenalee nods.  
"And what's Daisya?" Lavi asks.  
"The same." Kanda answers.  
"I guess he got lucky." Lavi says.  
"Yeah, good for him." Allen huffs. "Wait, where is Daisya?"  
"Training field." Lenalee says.  
"He said that he couldn't deal with us 'moping'." Lavi scoffs. "I don't mope."  
"Right." Allen raises an eyebrow. "Sure."

…

"You seem better." Asher smiles as she watches Katherine sitting across from her.  
"Mostly relieved." Katherine says. "I'm glad Ray's alright." She frowns. "I mean, after what happened with the others-"  
"Did you tell him?" Asher asks. "I guess he was already out of it once the news came."  
"I… his friends'll probably tell him." Katherine says. "Later, hopefully, he doesn't need it right after he wakes up."

"The funeral is in two days." Asher says. "I'm surprised that it took so long."  
"They're combining it with the Finders' one." Katherine says. "It took them a little while to collect the remains."  
"I guess." Asher sighs.  
"…" Katherine frowns.  
"Never mind all that." Asher snaps back up, planting a happy smile on her face. "I… I've got work to do."  
"What kind?" Katherine asks, her own grin reaching her face.  
"It's really fascinating, really." Asher relaxes, digging through the papers over her desk. "Hold on, I'll explain…"

…

"Tyki!" The man jumps. He tries to turn around, to find the source of the voice, but his vision is quickly obscured by a small form leaping at his head.  
"Gah!" Tyki falls backwards, taking Road down with him. The girl laughs as they fall, landing heavily on Tyki's chest.  
"Hello!" Road looks down at him,  
"What are you doing?" Tyki look up, unamused.  
"I was looking for you." Road pouts. "Didn't you want to see me?"  
"Not at all." Tyki pushes her off.  
"Aw, mean." Road quickly recovers, hopping on her feet as she watches Tyki stand up. "Lookie, lookie, the Earl wants ta see you."  
"Now?" Tyki sighs. "I was just about to go out."  
"Yup, now." Road takes his hand. "It'll be quick."  
"Fine." Tyki sighs. "Do you know what it's about?"  
"Isn't it obvious?" Road giggles. "You have a mission!"  
"Great." Tyki frowns. "What is it?"  
" _It_ is almost done." Road laughs. "But, we need a couple more pieces before it's finished."  
"And what are those pieces?"  
"Isn't it obvious? We need some Innocence."

…

 **:)  
Mmm evil stuff going on!  
Thanks for reading! Yeah, I don't know but recently I've been super inspired to write loads for this so… better for everyone!  
Thanks so much for reading! If you spot something wrong with this chap or continuity stuff plz tell me! I'm super bad at remembering things, so I'll be super grateful!**

 **Love from,**

 **The Cheese Wizard**


	35. Chapter 35

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

 **…**

"Stop it!" Allen bats Lavi's hand away, earning a laugh.  
"Hey, I haven't been able to bother you all this time, I'm just making up for it." Lavi pokes at Allen's face again.  
"Lavi!" Allen glares at him.  
"What?" Lavi laughs again, using his free hand to run through Allen's hair. "It's been too long since I've seen you like this, it's a little surreal."  
"Yes, I get it." Allen huffs.  
"I think it suits you." Daisya grins.  
"Thanks?" Allen shrugs. He glances back at Lavi. "You know, it's been red longer than it's been like this."  
"I never saw you without it the first time, though." Lavi defends.  
"If you guys keep being so noisy, we're going to get kicked out." Lenalee rolls her eyes, unable to disguise the smile on her face. She pushes aside a small stack of books in front of her, letting it join the growing mountain on their preferred table.  
"Aw, she wouldn't do that." Lavi waves his hand dismissively. He sends a quick grin to Daisya. "The librarian _loves_ us."  
"Somehow I doubt that." Allen says.  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Lavi turns to pout at him.

"Nothing at all." Allen turns away from him, instead looking over to Kanda by the window. "Still being emo?"  
"Shut up." Kanda huffs, looking at them in the window's reflection.  
"He's just mad that he got kicked out of the training ground." Lavi laughs.  
"What?" Allen turns back. "What happened?"  
"He got tired of the training dummies." Lavi grins. "Started tearing up the walls for kicks."  
"Really?" Allen laughs, glancing over at Kanda. "That's what's got you so down?"

"He gets itchy if he doesn't get any action." Lavi wiggles his eyebrow. "In any sense of the word."  
"Lavi!" Lenalee sends him a glare.  
"What?" Lavi raises his hands in surrender.  
"Not to mention that we're not allowed out for missions for a while." Daisya groans. "Last time the Order wasn't so uptight."  
"They're just being more careful." Lenalee shakes her head. "I don't mind it myself."  
"Careful?" Allen chimes in, confused. "Did something happen?"  
"Hm?" Lenalee turns to him, eyes widening. "Oh, right, you don't know yet."  
"What?" Allen looks between the three. "What did I miss?"  
"Go ahead, Lena-lady." Lavi quickly turns to Lenalee.  
"Yeah, you do it." Daisya sinks into the table.  
"You guys…" Lenalee shakes her head before looking over at Allen. "It's… about Tarren and Sal, Sal Aafjes, I mean."  
"Oh her." Allen nods. "I think I remember meeting her."  
"She came with General Zilberschlag to help us and Tarren." Lenalee gestures to Daisya.  
"They told me that you saw a Noah, I think." Allen nods. "I, uh, couldn't really hear anything after that."  
"Well, in short, we lasted long enough for the backup to come." Lenalee says. "But, after they did…" She grimaces. "Me and Daisya got out already, the General too, but…" She seems at a loss for words.  
Allen doesn't speak either, the tension slowly growing.  
"They, uh, they didn't make it, Al." Lavi says, finally. "Tarren, she, uh, she was already dead once they got her into the infirmary."  
"Sal, she-" Lenalee takes a deep breath. "She lost both her legs. She- She passed away a couple days later."  
"…I-" Allen's expression drops. "…Dammit."  
"Sorry for dropping this all on you." Lenalee says quickly. "But, Bailey's not letting any of us out for a little while. Only the Finders are out, and even then it's just a few."  
"They're trying to figure out what the Noah are up too." Lavi says. "Before they let us out again, they need to at least be sure the same thing won't happen."  
"I… I see." Allen nods stiffly. "Okay."  
"Hey, at least we're here, right?" Lavi says, trying to re-cheer his voice. "I mean, at least we're not stuck in Germany, like, after the rewinding town?" He turns to Allen expectantly.  
"That's where I first met you and Bookman." Allen grimaces, remembering the quick consequences. "You hit me with a snowball."  
"Oh, yeah." Lavi laughs.  
"And then you called me 'sprout'." Allen expression darkens.  
"Haha, yeah, I guess." Lavi inches over, sliding down the long bench.  
"You're luckily that I'm stuck in this." Allen huffs, glaring down at his wheelchair.  
"I guess I am." Lavi quickly steps around the table, taking a seat beside Lenalee, placing the girl in-between them.  
"Honestly?" Lenalee fixes Lavi with a glare.  
"Hehe." Lavi waves.

…

"Yes, I see." Bailey frowns, phone to his ear. "Yes, of course… Thank you, yes. Good bye." He carefully places the receiver down, resisting the urge to slam it down. "…Shit."  
"Sir?" Grace stands by his side, filtering through a small stack of papers.  
"Can you go find Asher for me?" Bailey asks, sinking into his seat dejectedly.  
"O-Of course!" Grace nods, stepping away from the desk. Before she leaves, she quickly glances back at the tired man. "Did something happen, sir?"  
"It seems so." Bailey grimaces. "Things just got a little more complicated."

…

"Che." Ecan pauses in front of the grand doors. Beyond, he can hear muffled voices, muffled laughter. He misses his cigarettes, but Bailey had a strict no-smoking policy within headquarters.

Without further hesitation, he slams the doors open.

All eyes spin to meet his immediately. The librarian, sitting at her desk a little ways away, fixes him with a sharp glare that he just ignores. No, he just focuses on the pairs of startled eyes at one particular table.

"…Eh?" Lavi speaks first, mouth dropping open.

"What?" Ecan steps forward. "You didn't think you could avoid me forever, did you?"  
"Avoid _you_?" Allen mutters, watching Ecan with a sharp eye.  
"Hah, what was that?" Ecan stops right in front of Allen, leaning over to become level.  
"You…" Allen's expression hardens. "Stupid Master!" He aims a punch right at Cross' face.  
"Oi,oi." Cross catches his fist with a grin. "Relax."  
"Shut up!" Allen, with a newfound energy, pushes himself upwards, using his other hand to hit Cross squarely in the face.  
"Ow!" Cross backs up, releasing Allen. He does, however, recover quickly with a grin. "You're still feisty when you're stuck in a chair."  
"Shut up." Allen scowls, lowering himself back into his wheelchair. "What are you doing here?"  
"I'm offering some help." Cross says, sliding forward again.  
"Eh, you're really the General?" Daisya leans over the table.  
"Your hair looks ridiculous." Allen says. " _You_ look ridiculous."  
"What was that?" Cross turns to glare pointedly at Allen.  
"You heard me." Allen scoffs. "What are you, some wanna-be punk going through his mid-life crisis?"  
"Watch it, brat." Cross turns away, looking over at the others. "Is that all the welcome I get?"  
"Shut up." Allen mutters, turning away from him too.  
"You knew it was us?" Lavi asks, curious. "The whole time?"  
"I'm not an idiot." Cross scoffs. "You are too obvious, running around in your little pack together."

"Get to the point." Allen huffs. "What do you want?"  
"Why are you assuming that I want anything?" Cross asks.  
"You've been… hiding this whole time." Allen says. "Why are you here now?"  
"Hmph, whatever." Cross shrugs. "True enough, I figured now was the right time." He looks pointedly at Allen. "I need to talk to you."  
"Then talk." Allen crosses his arms.  
"Hmph." Cross sighs. "Somewhere else."  
"Why?" Allen raises an eyebrow at him.  
"You need to be a little more careful in choosing your haunts." Cross says, glancing over at the librarian at the other side of the room.  
"…Fine." Allen lets out an exaggerated sigh. "But, I'm still going to tell everyone whatever you say."  
"Fine."

…

"Where are we going?" Reluctantly, Allen lets Cross push his wheelchair down the hallways.  
"My room." Cross says, watching Allen carefully out of sight.  
"You're really creepy." Allen sighs.  
"What did you say about me?" Cross frowns.  
"You're creepy, Master." Allen repeats, shifting his position to look up at the man. "Looks like some things never change."  
"Just like how you never stop being a brat." Cross shoots back.

They stop in front of a small door, identical to the one to Allen's room, or any other. Cross doesn't say anything as he wheels Allen inside. Allen himself is surprised at how decent the place is. Curtains are spread wide open, filling the room with bright sunlight that shines off the dozen or so liquor bottles over the shelf.  
"You really have a problem, Master." Allen eyes the bottles.  
"Don't talk like you know anything." Cross says. He steps away from Allen and goes to sit on the bed. He leans up against the wall so that he can face Allen properly.  
"

So?" Allen frowns. "What is this about?"  
 **"Ah, tell him that I'm here."** Neah, after a long silence, interjects.  
"If this is about Neah, then you can just talk." Allen says. "…He's here."  
"Is that right?" Cross frowns. "'Here'?"  
"Yes." Allen says.  
"Can you hear him?" Cross asks.  
"Yes." Allen nods. "He's annoying. I guess it makes sense that you two were friends."  
 **"He's not my friend."** Neah huffs.  
"'Friend'." Cross scoffs. "Sure."  
"Both of you just said that." Allen rolls his eyes. "Whatever."  
"What happened?" Cross asks.

"What?" Allen repeats, confused.  
"You know-" Cross gestures vaguely to Allen. "-people thought you were dead."  
"Oh." Allen nods. "Neah, uh, he explained some of it."

…

"That was weird." Daisya stares at the closed door.  
"As usual." Lavi nods seriously. "…I wonder what they're talking about."  
"Allen said that he'd tell us, right?" Lenalee says. "Then, just be patient."  
" _Boring_." Lavi sighs.  
"Don't even _think_ about bothering them." Lenalee adds quickly. "They need the privacy."  
"What's this about?" Daisya asks.  
"Ah, Allen and Cross' relationship is…" Lavi frowns. "Weird."  
"They fight a lot." Daisya points out.  
"They do, yeah." Lenalee nods. "But, I think they do really care about each other." Her expression drops sadly. "After General Cross died, Allen was really torn up about it."  
"Oh." Daisya nods slowly. He glances over at Kanda. "Reminds me of someone."

…

"What's up Lexer?" Asher skips into the office.  
"Asher." Bailey sits up to look at her. "I wanted to ask you a few things."  
"Sure!" Asher slides into the chair across from him.  
"There wasn't anyone else I could ask about this." Bailey starts. "I thought, of anyone, you'd have some answers."  
"Get to it, Lexer." Asher smiles. "Hit me with it."  
"It's…" Bailey takes a deep breath. "General Akiyama, as you know, has been out in the field for the last week."  
"Yeah?" Asher nods. "He's meant to be back soon, right? I mean, you wanted everyone back already."  
"Yes." Bailey nods. "However, over the last few days, he's avoided meeting back with any Finders." He sighs. "We haven't been able to make contact."  
"I'm sensing a 'but' here." Asher nods again.  
"They just found him." Bailey finishes. "Off the coast of Ireland."  
"Off the coast?" Asher frowns. "Like, in the water?"  
"Yes." Bailey nods. "Some locals pulled him out of the water. He's recovering fine, however."  
"So?" Asher presses.  
"They couldn't find his Innocence anywhere." Bailey says. "Apparently, once the General woke up, he claimed that a Noah had taken it."  
"'Taken'? Not destroyed, then." Asher says.  
"He was being very persistent about that." Bailey says. "The Noah were, apparently, very careful to retrieve the Innocence undamaged." He looks at Asher desperately. "Do you know why?"  
"I don't know…" Asher leans back thoughtfully. "There aren't any obvious reasons that the Noah would even want Innocence, it being their mortal enemy and all." She shakes her head. "I could look into it, if you'd like."  
"That'd be great." Bailey nods, no stress relieved from his expression.  
"Don't worry too much." Asher adds as she gets up. "I mean, all the other exorcists are grounded, right?"  
"Yeah, you're right." Bailey sighs. "I'll be looking forward to your report."

…

 **ah, sorry that this took so long T^T  
Thanks for sticking with it anyways!**

 **Love from,**

 **The Cheese Wizzard  
:)**


	36. Chapter 36

**ALLEN 13**

 **LAVI 17**

 **LENALEE 16**

 **KANDA 18**

…

"Hm…" Cross rubs his chin thoughtfully. Allen just stares up at him.  
"What?" Allen crosses his arms, tired of watching the man.  
"That does sound like a problem." Cross says.  
"And that doesn't sound helpful." Allen retorts. "Neah said that you could help."  
"I'm getting to that, brat." Cross sighs. "Look, for now, there's not much that can be done."  
"That doesn't sound like you." Allen notes. "What, we're just going to sit around?"  
"Anything but." Cross scoffs. "Look, it may not look like it, but the Order has a lot more information about what's going on."  
"What's going on?" Allen asks.  
"They haven't told anyone yet, but the Noah are apparently stealing Innocence of people."  
"Stealing?" Allen repeats, confused.  
" **Oh, that's interesting**." Neah hums.  
"Shut up." Allen mutters before turning back to Cross. "Why?"  
"Beats me." Cross scowls. "But, I'm sure that it's nothing good."  
"Isn't that what we always assume?" Allen frowns.  
"Oi, Neah!" Cross sends Allen, or Neah, a glare. "I ain't gonna let you be either, you got it?"  
" **Ah, I thought so.** " Neah sighs. " **Tell him that I don't know either, but I can look into it.** "  
"How?" Allen asks, ignoring Cross.  
" **Trust me.** "  
"As if."  
" **Aw, that's not nice. Just give me a day? Yeah, that might be okay.** "  
"…I guess." Allen nods.  
" **And, tell Cross to keep digging, although I doubt he needs to be told twice.** "  
"Neah said that you need to keep looking, but isn't sure that he really needs to tell you." Allen relays.  
"Yeah, yeah." Cross nods. "Nothing, then, eh?"  
"Not yet." Allen shrugs. "Give him a day."  
"Fine then." Cross reaches out to the door. "Now, I'm sick of you. Get out."  
"Gladly." Allen huffs, awkwardly wheeling himself towards the exit. Just as he reaches the threshold, however, he pauses and looks back at Cross. "One more thing."  
"Spit it out." Cross says.  
"About, uh, this." Allen gestures to himself and then to Cross. "Do you know what happened?"  
"No clue." Cross shrugs. "I suppose it's just the same with you. I woke up in 1982 in the maternity ward of a dumb british hospital."  
"Only once?" Allen asks, frowning.  
"Once?" Cross repeats. "Yeah, why?"  
" **It's only you four, then.** " Neah says. " **Tell him.** "  
"Later." Allen shakes his head. "Never mind." He says louder, turning way from Cross. "See you tomorrow, I guess."  
Cross stares at him, calculative, but eventually just lets out a loud sigh. "Fine."

…

"Hi, guys." Allen ends up back at the library, where Lavi, Lenalee, and Kanda sit around the same desk.  
"Yo." Lavi grins as he approaches. 'What was that all about?"  
"About, uh-" Allen points to his head and then to his chair. "Also, he told me something weird."  
"What kind of weird?" Lavi asks.  
"Did something happen?" Lenalee leans across the table.  
"Seems like it, sort of." Allen nods. "The Noah are stealing Innocence, apparently."  
"Stealing?" Lavi frowns. "Why?"  
Allen just shrugs. "Neah doesn't have a clue neither, nor Cross, actually."  
"Maybe that's part of why we're still all stuck here." Lenalee adds. "Why haven't they told us?"  
"No idea." Allen shakes his head. "But, it seems serious."

"They never did anything like that before, right?" Lenalee asks. "I mean, they usually just shatter it."  
"It must be another one of their crazy plans." Lavi says. "But, I can't think of why they're use Innocence, they're meant to be mortal enemies, right?"  
"Well, I can't claim to understand how to Noah work." Allen says. He pauses. "I don't even know what Neah's thinking half of the time, and I can hear his thoughts."  
"Let's just… stay alert." Lenalee decides.  
"Hopefully, Cross'll get back to us." Allen adds.

"Did you talk about anything else?" Lavi rests his head on his hand thoughtfully. "Though, I guess Cross is a man of few words."  
"Actually, I did ask him one more thing." Allen remembers. "About, uh, us being here?"  
"And?" Lavi perks up at that.  
"Nothing." Allen shakes his head. "But, he did say that this was his first time, like Daisya."  
"So, it's only us still." Lenalee frowns. "Why?"  
"It's probably got something to do with the stuff we don't remember." Lavi looks over the others. "Or is that just me?"  
"You mean about the first time we died, right?" Lenalee says quietly. "I don't really remember much of it."  
"It's a bit jumbled." Allen agrees. "I, uh, I remember stuff about the Earl, but after that it wasn't great."  
"When we saw those plaques, the ones with the dates on them?" Lavi says. "Just by looking at them, it felt weird."  
"Weird?" Allen echoes. "I mean, yeah, I think I get felt it too."  
"So, none of us properly remember?" Lenalee asks. She sends Kanda a glance, but the teen just shakes his head. "…Why?"  
"I remember all the other times." Allen says. "It's just the first one."  
"But, _that day_ , the one, uh you know? We all remember that right?" Lavi asks.  
"Of course." Allen nods.  
"Actually, I think it's right after that that things start getting fuzzy." Lenalee frowns.  
"Well, there's no point brooding over it." Lavi tries for a smile. "First things first, we need to think about what the hell the Noah are up to."  
"I guess." Allen grins. "So, any ideas?"

…

"I still don't get this." Tyki gingerly holds the glowing green pen. It's old-fashioned looking, with the nib a shining gold.  
"Stop whining." Road gives the man a light smack. "We still gotta get the other one."  
"I thought that all the exorcists were locked up at headquarters." Tyki says. "That old guy was the only one, right?"  
"Not quite." Road giggles. "Ya know, that dumb Order isn't as quick as they think."  
"You found one?" Tyki raises an eyebrow. "Where?"  
"I'll show you!" Road raises her hands in the air, grinning widely, and a door pops up behind her. "Come on!" She reaches out to grab Tyki's hand, pulling him forward.  
"Yeah, yeah." Tyki lets himself get dragged to the door. "Let's just get this done quickly."

…

"Hm?" Bailey grabs at the ringing phone and brings it to his ear. "…Hello?"  
" _S-Supervisor!_ " A distressed women answers. " _Emergency!"_  
"What?" Bailey snaps upright, grabbing a stray piece of paper. "What is it?" he grabs a pen and prepares to write. "Who is this?"  
 _"A-Andrea McFarlane, s-sir, a Finder! I- We're in France right now! In Nice!_ "  
"What's going on over there?" Bailey scribbles as he speaks.  
" _We- We think that there's a new exorcist here, sir! B-But just now Vernon, m-my friend. he thinks he saw a Noah!_ "  
"Shit." Bailey freezes. "Hold on, I'll send help!"  
" _T-Thank you sir!_ " The Finder breathes a sigh of relief. _  
"_ "Is the exorcist with you?" Bailey asks.  
" _Yes, s-she's here!_ " Andrea says.  
"Are you somewhere safe?" Bailey asks.  
" _F-For now, sir_." Andrea says.  
"Stay there for now, then." Bailey says. "I'll send some help now."

The phone hits the receiver and Bailey is already punching in another number.  
"Asher!" Bailey picks up the phone again. "Are you there?"  
" _Lexer?_ " Asher's tired voice answers. " _What's up now_?"  
"Trouble." Bailey says. "A new exorcist in Nice. I- Who should I send? Who's available?"  
" _I'm not really the best person to ask about this_ …" Asher mutters. " _But, uh, I saw Tasha drinking this morning so probably not her.._ "  
"What about Robert, have you seen him?" Bailey asks as he grasps for the golem sitting by his desk. "Never mind, I'll call him. Can you check up on the status of Nice?"  
" _Aye aye._ " Asher replies.

"Robert?" Bailey's black golem hovers in front of him. After a second, the projection of a man's face appears in front of him.  
" _Bailey?_ " Robert Corra turns to Bailey in surprise. " _What is it?_ "  
"A new exorcist." Bailey relays. "And possibly some Noah. I was hoping you could go and bring her back."  
" _Where?"_ The camera angel shifts as Robert starts to move. The corridor passes behind him at a swift pace.  
"Nice, France." Bailey answers. "There are some Finders are there already, just go and get the exorcists and come right back."  
" _I can manage that_." Robert nods. " _I'm right by your office, see you in a minute_."

…

"The Supervisor is ending an exorcist here." Andrea turns to the three other Finders. "Soon."  
"We're kind of far from the gate." A large stocky man, Vernon, speaks up. "And the Noah was near there."  
"We just need to stay here." Andrea insists. "It-It's going to be fine."  
"This is stupid." Vernon scowls, kicking at the wooden ground. Around them the abandoned ceramics shop trembles from far off blasts. "Shit. They're coming."  
"J-Just a few more minutes." Andrea says, mostly to herself.  
"Come on." Beside her, her friend Garret, takes her hand. "Let's at least head further inside."

…

"Quickly." Bailey almost runs into Robert as he heads out of his office.  
"Now?" Robert follows the man back into the hall.  
"It sounded pretty bad." Bailey frowns. "The faster you're out there, the better."  
"If you're sure." Robert nods. "You said Nice?"  
"They were investigating an anomaly there." Bailey explains. "Something about time flowing strangely."

…

"Miss?" Andrea watches the nervous woman cautiously.  
"A-Ah!" She almost jumps at the sudden voice. "S-Sorry."  
"There's someone coming." Andrea says, letting the others file in behind her. "W-We're going to be okay."  
"W-W-Who's coming?" The woman says, slightly hopeful.  
"An exorcist, miss." Andrea says. "Didn't we already explain?"  
"Y-Yeah, y-you did." She drops her head, suddenly solemn. And then, to herself. "Oh, what'll I do?"

…

"Huh?" Lavi looks up at the sudden rush of footsteps outside.  
"What's going on?" Allen twists to look.  
"Who knows?" Lavi pushes himself up and heads out to the door. It swings open easily, revealing the tail end of Bailey heading in the opposite direction. "…Huh?"  
"Hello!" Suddenly, Asher appears in front of the teen, causing him to jump.  
"Asher?" Lavi takes a step back. "What's going on?"  
"New exorcist." Asher says. Her grin is wide but it doesn't quite reach her nervous eyes. "Robert's off to go grab 'em."  
"By himself?" Lavi leans back in.  
"Yup." Asher says. "And, no. It's just a pick up. Bailey doesn't want anyone else out of here."  
"Fine, then." Lavi huffs, glancing back at his friends.  
"Where are they?" Lenalee gets up too.  
"Nice, France." Asher answers. "The Finders heard of an anomaly down there."  
"Sounds _nice._ " Lavi winks at no one in particular.  
"Well, I hope that, whoever it is, they come back safely." Lenalee says.  
"That's the plan." Asher smiles. "On that note, I should head off." Asher points down the hall to where Bailey had disappeared. "I'll check back in if anything exciting happens."  
"Please do." Lavi watches her run off, a slight skip in her step. He looks back at Lenalee. "Think it's one of us?"  
"Could be." Lenalee agrees. "I mean, first us, Daisya, and now this? There's hardly ever so many new exorcists at once."

"I heard my name. What're ya'll talking about?" Out of nowhere, Daisya approaches the still open door. He eyes Allen in the corner before looking over at Lavi.  
"Apparently a new exorcist just turned up." Lenalee answers. "We were wondering if we know them."  
"Oh." Daisya nods thoughtfully. "If you say so." He shrugs and steps inside. "Is that where everyone was running of to?"  
"That's it." Lavi grins, leading the others back to the table. "But, I guess we'll just have to wait an see."

...

 **hahahhahahhaha** **  
** **imagine that, I'm not dead!** ****

 **yeah so, i'd liked to have written this faster and probably updated all my other stories, but it's been a really bad month honestly.** **  
** **good news was that now I'm 17! it's** **pretty** **weird, actually. bad news is that since year 12 is ending, there are like 50 exams and projects and practice stuff that i need to go to and im swamped with work and my mental health is really taking it** **badly. -.-**

 **Anyway, thanks to everyone who's sticking by this, I appreciate you beyond words.**

 **Thanks for reading!  
Love from,  
Cheese Wizzard**


End file.
